At the Edge of Silence
by AshRain114
Summary: Third in a Series. Devastated by the events at Canary Wharf, The Doctor and Amy are barely keeping it together when they take on new Companion Martha Jones. But new and old enemies lurk in the shadows and the Master has an ace up his sleeve. As the Earth threatens to fall to pieces a race begins to either save Rory, or save the world. Series 3 AU.
1. Pockets!

**Disclaimer: I do not own doctor who**

* * *

_**At the Edge of Silence**_

"Though some we saw Silence...and the end of all things."

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**Chapter 1: Pockets**

_"Not mates, forget mates." - The Doctor_

* * *

The Doctor blinked, looking between the new ginger and the old one, like perhaps Amy knew how this lady had appeared in the TARDIS.

"You can't do that!" The Doctor shouted, looking shocked. Amy crept around him and the woman, watching her warily like she might hit her as she made her way to the door, "I wasn't...we're in flight! That is- that is physically impossible! How did-?"

"Tell me where I am!" The woman demanded, staring at the Doctor with anger, "I demand you tell me right now - where am I?"

Amy opened the door a crack and stuck her head out, looking in shock as she saw that the Doctor hadn't accidentally landed the TARDIS on Earth like she had suspected. No, they were still in orbit around the same supernova.

She turned towards the woman, "How the hell..."

"Exactly!" The Doctor pointed at Amy, who was now gapping at the woman the same as him, then he turned to the woman, "Inside the TARDIS."

"The what?"

"The TARDIS."

"The what?"

"The TARDIS!" The Doctor repeated, moving to the console.

"The what?"

The Doctor turned to her, exasperated, "It's called the TARDIS."

The woman bristled angrily, "That's not even a proper word. You're just saying things."

"Yeah he does that." Amy agreed, going up to woman hoping she'd be more comfortable with a feminine presence, "But he's not right now, it's called the TARDIS."

"Yeah, and how did you get in here?" The Doctor asked, looking more than a little annoyed himself. They just finished saying goodbye and now he had this to deal with? Amy agreed. All she wanted to go was go into her room and sink into the bathtub for the next three hours, then sleep for a few days.

But the woman was oblivious to this, looking at them rigid with rage, "Well, obviously, when you kidnapped you. Who was it? Who's paying you? Is it Nerys? Oh, my God, she's finally got me back. This has got Nerys written all over it."

Amy didn't know who Nerys was, but she kind of wanted to know what this Woman did to her that was so bad that she honestly believed that she would have her kidnapped on her wedding day.

But the Doctor just looked at her in confusion, "Who the hell is Nerys?"

"Your best friend!"

The Doctor continued to look at her, confused, "Hold on, wait a minute - what're you dressed like that for?"

Amy face palmed, looking at the Doctor in shock, "Doctor!"

He looked at her in confusion, but then jumped as the woman rounded on him in anger, "I'm going ten pin bowling. Why do you think, Dumbo?! I was halfway up the aisle!" The Doctor backed away from the woman, looking a bit scared of her as she followed him, ranting as he fiddled with the controls on the console, "I've been waiting all my life for this. I was just seconds away! And then you- I dunno, you drugged me or something!"

"I haven't done anything!" The Doctor said indignantly.

"What about her!" Donna pointed to Amy who actually held up her hands in surrender like the Bride was holding a gun on her, "You drug her too, hmm? You making yourself a little collection you..you...pervert! You like red-heads or something?"

The Doctor opened and closed his mouth like a fish, not entirely sure what to say to that.

"We're having the police on you!" She continued, and Amy wondered if this woman had a respiratory bypass like the Doctor, "Me and my husband- as soon as he is my husband- we're gonna sue the living backside off yah!"

The Doctor looked like he was ignoring her now, much more focused in trying to figure out how she got there, and how to get rid of her as soon as possible.

Amy watched her as she turned, sighed in relief, and then ran past her, towards the door.

"No!" Amy tried to catch her, but she slipped through, reaching the door and throwing it open.

Amy winced as she gasped, freezing in the doorway as she looked out at the supernova that she'd been looking at only a few moments before. The Doctor grumbled as he walked over to them.

"Why didn't you stop her?" He asked through gritted teeth.

"I tried." Amy responded in a similar manner, throwing in a glare for good measure. She was sure that however this woman had gotten here, it was his fault. He'd torn the console apart and put it back together in the space of a week, he must've messed something up, "Did you accidentally create a teleport or something?"

"No!" He hissed, before stopped, "Well...I don't think so." He looked down at the woman who was staring out blankly, "You're in space. Outer space. This is my...spaceship. It's called the 'TARDIS'."

"How am I breathing?" She asked. Amy smiled, that had been one of her first questions as well.

"The TARDIS is protecting us."

The woman swallowed and nodded, talking it all in, "Who are you?"

He looked at her, "I'm the Doctor, this is Amy." Amy waved at her, "You?"

"Donna." She whispered, like she didn't trust her voice to go any higher.

The Doctor nodded, looking her up and down, "Human?"

"Yeah." She paused, giving him a strange look, "Is that optional?"

"Well it is for me."

Donna turned and looked at him, her eyes even wider, but there wasn't much room left in her face for more surprise than she was already feeling, "You're an alien?"

He nodded, "Yeah."

"You too?" Donna asked Amy.

She shook her yeah, "Nah, I'm human."

Donna nodded, but then after a moment she shook her head, "It's freezing with these doors open."

The Doctor closed them for her, and then darted back to the console, "But I don't understand it and I understand everything! This- this can't happen! There is no way a Human Being can lock itself onto the TARDIS and transport inside. It must be..." Bustling with energy he grabbed a ophthalmoscope and used it to look into Donna's eyes, "Impossible. Some sort of subatomic connection? Something in the temporal field? Maybe something pulling you into alignment with the Chronon shell. Maybe thing macro mining your DNA within the interior matrix. Maybe a genetic-"

And then she slapped him.

The Doctor staggered by, holding his cheek in his hand as he turned to her, "What was that for?"

"Get me to the church!" She yelled at him.

The Doctor wrinkled his nose, and dropped his instruments, "Right! Fine! I don't want you here anyway! Where is this wedding?"

"Saint Mary's!" Donna snapped at him, "Hayden road, Chiswick, London, England, Earth,_ the Solar System_."

Donna suddenly froze, then ran up over to the railing behind the Doctor and snatched up a blue purple blouse on the railing, "I knew it!" She accused, "Acting all innocent."

"Donna-" Amy tried to stop her, recognizing Rose's shirt. She felt her own throat close up as she recognized it as the same one she had teased her about all those months ago.

"I'm not the first, am I? How many women have you abducted."

The Doctor looked up from the console, confused, until he saw what Donna was holding and his face fell, "That's my friends." He whispered.

"Where is she, then?" Donna asked sarcastically, "No way this fits the giant over there!"

"Oi!" Amy defended, looking down. She wasn't _that _tall.

"What'd she do, then? Popped out for a space walk?"

"She's gone." The Doctor said softly, his face dark.

"Gone where?" Donna snapped, not seeing Amy shaking her head at her across the console.

The Doctor didn't say anything for a moment, looking like a lump had formed in his throat Finally he spoke, his voice thick with emotion, "I lost her."

Donna just shook furiously, "Well, you can hurry up and lose me!"

"Alright." Amy said, pulling Donna away from the Doctor, slightly worried that he'd start swinging.

Donna looked at Amy confused, before her face fell, "How do you mean, 'lost'?"

The Doctor didn't say anything, but he walked around the TARDIS, calmly taking the blouse from Donna's hands and stuffed it into his pocket.

He moved over to the doors, "Right! Chiswick!"

* * *

They opened the door and Donna walked out, looking around with a frown. Amy looked around with the same expression. They were in London, but not Chiswick.

"I said 'Saint Mary's'." Donna sneered, "What sort of Martian are you? Where's this?"

Amy looked back at the Doctor, who was rubbing the outside of the TARDIS in concern, "Something's wrong with her..."

"I knew it!" Amy crossed her arms, "You messed something up, didn't you!"

"I did no such thing." He defended himself. "It's like she's...recalibrating." He rushed back inside and checked the console while Amy leaned against the open door, unimpressed, "She's digesting..."

Donna turned around and stopped, staring at the TARDIS with blinking eyes. Amy wondered what she was so shocked at, but then she realized. She hadn't seen the outside of the ship yet. She probably assumed it was just as large on the outside.

"Donna..." Amy started, but the Woman ignored her, wandering up to the TARDIS.

"What have you eaten?" The Doctor spoke to the TARDIS and Amy rolled her eyes, "What's wrong. Donna?" He called out, "You've really gotta think. Is there anything that might've caused this."

But Donna wasn't listening, she started to walk around the edge of the ship, looking like she might pass out any moment.

"Anything you might've done? Any sort of alien contacts? I can't let you go wandering off in case you're dangerous. I mean, have you...have you seen lights in the sky? Or...did you touch something? Something- something different? Something strange? Something made out of a sort of metal or...who're you getting married to?"

Donna stuck her head inside the ship once more. Amy walked forward and poked her shoulder, making her jump, "You alright?"

Donna shook her head, jumping back from Amy like she had burned her. She put her hand to her mouth, backing up.

"Are you sure he's human? He's a bit overweight with a zip around his forehead, is he?"

Donna gave one last shake of the head, before she turned and ran off.

"Donna!" Amy cried, running after her, "Come on. Don't run off!"

The Doctor ran out of the TARDIS, looking both ways before he noticed them walking away. "Oi!" He called, "Wait up!"

Amy waved her hand, urging him to hurry up.

"Leave me alone." Donna called to them, "I just want to get married."

Amy couldn't help but feel that this Donna was just the complete opposite of her. She tried to run away with the Doctor to avoid marriage, and here was Donna, trying to avoid the Doctor in order to get married.

"Look." Amy tried to give her a soft smile, but it probably came out more like a grimace, "It's alright. We're the good guys, I promise."

"Yes, what she said." The Doctor said, looking more annoyed than anything, "Come back to the TARDIS."

Amy rounded on him, "You're not helping." She hissed.

"No way!" Donna shook her head, looking at the ground as she walked as to avoid seeing them, "That box is too...weird."

"It's...bigger on the inside, that's all." The Doctor sounded so unconvincing that even he winced.

"Okay," Amy turned to him, "You, stop, now."

"Oh! That's all!" Donna snapped, standing on the edge of hysterical. She looked at her watch, suppressing tears, "Ten past three. I'm gonna miss it."

"Don't worry." Amy told her, "It's alright. Just...calming breaths." She imitated some deep breaths for Donna to do, but the bride only narrowed her eyes at her.

"Are you mocking me!" She snapped.

Amy frowned, "Er-No?"

The Doctor stepped forward, "You can phone them. Tell them where you are?"

"How do I do that?" Donna snapped.

The Doctor frowned, "Haven't you got a mobile?"

Both Donna and Amy stopped and looked at him with equal looks of bewilderment.

"What?" He asked looking at their faces, "What did I say?"

"I'm in my wedding dress." Donna started, the volume of her voice raising, "It doesn't have _pockets_. Who has pockets? Have you ever seen a bride with pockets? When I went to my fitting, do you think I said 'Alison, the one thing I forgot to say is give me _pockets_'?!"

The Doctor blinked at her, "...This man you're marrying- what's his name?"

Donna grinned, her eyes bright as she beamed, "Lance!"

"Good luck Lance."

Amy rubbed her face, wondering how many times he was going to get slapped before they got Donna to her wedding.

"Oi!" Donna snapped at him, "No stupid Martian is gonna stop me from getting married. To hell with you!"

And she ran off.

"Hm.." Amy crossed her arms sarcastically, "How many Time Lords does it take to get a human to her wedding?"

"I'm- I'm not...I'm not...I'm not from Mars." The Doctor groaned, before running after her.

Amy rolled her eyes at him, before running off after him.

* * *

They caught up with her down a busy London street. Donna was hurrying as fast as her dress allowed her, trying not to get it dirty in the old dried up sludge that used to be snow.

"Taxi!" She called, holding out her hand. But the Taxi just drove past, "Why's his light on?"

The Doctor pointed, "There's another one!"

He ran to try and catch it and Donna called, "Taxi!"

They all stumbled into the road while they tried to catch it, but it just drove away again.

"Maybe we should try showing some leg?" The Doctor grumbled under his breath.

Amy narrowed her eyes at him, "You better be talking about yourself or you're gonna get slapped again."

He rubbed his cheek, walking back.

"Oi!" Donna called to the next Taxi as it walked past.

The Doctor turned to her, "Do you have this effect on everyone? Why aren't they stopping?"

Donna shook her head, "They think I'm in Fancy dress."

Another Taxi came down, honking his horn and calling out his window, "Stay off the scotch darlin'!"

Donna looked horrified, "They think I'm drunk!"

A car drove by and two men hollered, "You're fooling no-one, mate!"

"They think I'm in drag!" Donna gasped.

The Doctor paused, looking her up and down appraisingly and Amy gapped, smacking him on the chest. He winced, mumbling something about 'crazy ginger's, and held up his hands, "Hold on, hold on."

He put his fingers between his lips and whistled, a long and piercing sound that made everyone on the street stop and plug their ears.

But it did the job and one of the Taxi came to halt.

They all climbed in, Donna turning to the driver, "Saint Mary's in Chiswick, just off Hayden Road. It's an emergency, I'm getting married! Just...hurry up!"

"You know it'll cost you, sweetheart? Double rates today."

Donna paused, "Oh, my God?" She turned to Amy and the Doctor, "Do either of you got any money?"

"Um...no." The Doctor shook his head.

Amy checked her sweater, "Nothing."

"You?" The Doctor asked.

Donna clenched her jaw and pointed to her dress "Pockets!"

...

* * *

The Doctor slammed the Taxi door shut, looking beyond frustrated, while Donna yelled at the driver.

"And that goes double for your mother!"

The Taxi drove off with a screech.

"I'll have him!" She promised, holding her fist out, "I've got his number. I'll have him. Talk about the Christmas Spirit."

"Alright." The Doctor turned to Amy, "Do you have your Mobile?"

Amy felt around in her pockets, before she remembered, "Oh right, it got confiscated at Torchwood."

The Doctor groaned, then backtracked, looking down the street, "Is it Christmas?"

"Well, duh!" Donna scoffed, "Maybe not on Mars, but here it's Christmas Eve." She whacked him on the arm, her eyes wide as she pointed to something, "Phone box!"

They rushed over to it and Donna grinned, "We can reverse the charges!"

"How come you're getting married on Christmas Eve?" The Doctor asked.

"Can't bear it." Donna replied, "I hate Christmas. Honeymoon in Morocco. Sunshine - lovely."

Amy laughed, "I used to spray carolers with waterguns."

Donna giggled at that, until they reached the phone box and the Doctor help it open for Donna.

"What's the operator? I've not done this in years." Donna grumbled, "What do you dial? 100?"

The Doctor pulled out his Sonic and applied it to the phone, "Just- just call direct."

The dial toned buzzed on the end of the receiver and Donna looked at it suspiciously, "What did you do?"

"Just dial." Amy called, a headache forming. Not one caused by her old illness, thank god, but a normal to god headache.

She dialed and pressed it to her ear, and they waited.

"Mum, get off the phone and listen!" Donna finally said, "I'm in..." She looked around, "Oh, my God - I dunno where I am! It's...it's a street. And there a WH Smith...but it's definitely Earth."

Amy rolled her eyes, turning to see the Doctor standing at a cash machine impatiently. She continued to watch as the man in front of him left and he rushed forward, looking around before pressing the sonic into the machine. It whirled loudly and started to spew money all around.

Amy rolled her eyes and turned back to the Phone box, only to find it empty, "Donna?"

She looked around and saw a woman handing her a tenner. Amy ran over just as she flagged down a cab. Along the way she picked up a few bills that had been thrown from the cash machine and then slid into the cab behind Donna.

"Oi!" Donna narrowed her eyes, "What're you doing."

"Look, Donna." She looked at her seriously, "Just wait for the Doctor."

"There's no time!" She said, before turning to the driver, "Just go."

Amy was forced back into the seat as the cab suddenly sped off. Donna leaned out the window, "Thanks for nothing, spaceman! I'll see you in court!" She came back in and looked at Amy with a sniff, "You too, Giant. Don't think you're off the hook."

"Oh come on!" Amy cried, "I'm not_ that_ much taller than you!"

Donna rolled her eyes, leaning forward and handing the tenner to the driver, "I promise you, mate- I'll give you the rest when we get there. Oh, I look a mess!" She pulled her veil off, catching her breath, "Hurry up."

"Here." Amy handed her some of the money the Doctor picked up.

"I thought you didn't have any!" Donna snapped, yanking it out of her hands.

Amy rolled her eyes, "Look, I acquired it afterwards."

Donna looked out the window, then turned to the driver, "Hold on a minute. I said 'Chiswick'. You've missed the turning."

The Driver didn't say anything, and Amy swallowed, knowing that something was terribly wrong. God all she wanted to do was go to bed...

"'Scuse me?" Donne sniffed, "We should've turned off back there. We're going the wrong way!"

Amy flew against the window as the Taxi joined the motorway, cutting across lanes dangerously.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Donna cried out, "I'm late for the wedding. My own wedding. Do you get that?"

Amy leaned forward, getting a look at the Santa masks...they looked similar too...

She yanked it back to revealed a robot underneath.

"Oh, my god." Donna gasped.

Amy gulped, leaning back, "Oh, _now_ we're in trouble."

* * *

**AN: WHAT IS THIS? WHAT HAVE I DONE. I HAVE NO SELF CONTROL.**

**Wow I suck. I know I said this would be a longer wait, but Like I said I have no self control. I probably will be updating this story at a rate of one chapter for every chapter I write for a bit, but I do have it out and ready for you guys!**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed for the last chapter in ATDTNC. I love you all so much and I'm super sorry if I didn't respond to you. Since I'm at work a lot now it's way harder to respond to everyone so I'm sorry about that.**

**So on top of everything I've been doing in this story I've also been developing another series (cause obviously I have no self-control). I'm still working on a basic outline, so far I have it planned to encompass series 6 and 7 (and maybe the specials, i'm not sure yet. Same with s8), but that's all I'm gonna say about it for now, cause this story is still my priority.**

**My blog is going fantastic. I've got some hella people following me, and I know that a few of you guys are as well so that's great! Link to my dw blog is on my profile if you're interested (as well as my main blog). **

**Any series for series 8?: Yes and No. I've seen some bitchin new stills, and I'm loving clara's wardrobe in this season thats for sure. But here's the one tahts' interesting. I saw a few articles saying that the Master was coming back, but then they were taken down the next day. Does that mean it's a rumour? Or is it supposed to be a secret. I now that media can sometimes leak secrets (such as a magazine printing that BC played Khan in ST:ID), so who knows.**

**Alright, I think that's all I ahve to say for now. I'll be at work all day so I'll try to respond to any all questions after work! I love you all, and remember, my goal for this story is 1k reviews so please leave a review with any comments concerns or questions!**

**Until Next Time,**

**-Ash**


	2. Christmas Trees Kill!

**disclaimer: I do not own doctor who**

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**Chapter 2: Christmas Trees Kill**

_"No one should be alone a christmas." -Madge_

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Donna immediately started to pummel at the glass window, looking at the other drivers as she tried to get their attention, "Help me! Help me! Help me!" Donna looked at them frantically, "Help me! Help me!"

Amy saw a man in a red van notice them and his eyes furrowed in concern, but the taxi zoomed pasted it before he could do anything.

Amy wished she had her cell phone, but all she could do was try and calm down Donna who was now kicking at the door.

"D-Donna." Amy winced as one of her failing arms hit her in the face, "Calm down alright. The Doctor's coming."

Just as she spoke they heard a loud bang from behind them. They turned their heads simultaneously and gapped as they saw the TARDIS fall out of the air right above the taxi, nearly spinning out of control as it wove around cars in the street.

"...You are kidding me." Donna gasped, looking at the flying police box with a strange mix of shock and just acceptance of how weird this entire day had become.

"Yeah." Amy nodded, looking out, "It does that too."

"I'm gonna die." She whispered.

Amy rolled her eyes, "No, don't worry, switch spots."

She moved overtop of Donna so that she was on the other side and Donna was closer to the side the Doctor was on. Right now she needed to get Donna out of here. She could deal with the driver herself if she needed too, but obviously the hysterical bride couldn't.

The Doctor was now parallel with the car, leaning against the open door of his ship with a long string that reached back to the console

"Open the door!" He yelled to them.

"Do you what?" Donna asked, not hearing him.

Amy leaned over her and yelled, "The doors looked!"

The Doctor reached into his coat and pulled out his sonic, pointing it at the door. Immediately Donna grabbed the window, pushing it down "Santa's a robot!"

The Doctor sighed, "Donna, open the door."

Donna looked at him like he was thick, "What for?"

"You've got to jump!"

The robot driver tilted its head at this slightly and Amy groaned. Oh, great, _now_ it was paying attention.

"I'm not bleedin' flip jumping, I'm supposed to be getting _married_!"

The robot slammed its foot down and Amy was thrown back slightly as the Taxi sped off down the street. The TARDIS couldn't keep up, having been stuck behind a car. Behind them Amy watched as the Doctor yanked on the string hard and the TARDIS lifted up higher off the ground, smashing into the roof of another car as it set out to catch up.

As he came back into parallel to them he looked slightly frazzled.

"Listen to me- you've got to jump."

"I'm not jumping on a motorway!" Donna said obstinately.

"Donna you have too!" Amy called, "It's the only way we're getting out of here. These robots are not the good guys!"

Donna looked between them, "I'm in my wedding dress!"

"Yes!" The Doctor said, exasperated, "You look lovely! Come on!"

Donna looked over at Amy one more and then groaned, turning to the door. She gripped the handle and threw it open, scooting over to position herself to jump. The Doctor held out his hands, ready to catch her.

Donna looked at the speeding pavement under her and then back to the Doctor, her eye's wide with fear, "I can't do it."

The Doctor looked at her calmly, "Trust me."

"Is that what you said to her?" Donna asked, "Your friend? The one you lost? Did she trust you?"

The Doctor faltered, blinking as he nodded, "Yes, she did. And she is not dead. She is so alive."

"What about you..."Donna asked, turning to Amy, "Do you trust him?"

Amy hesitated. She didn't know why she hesitated, but she did and there was no taking it back now.

"Yes." She nodded, "Yes, I trust him! Go! Jump!"

Donna nodded, turning back to the Doctor who was looking at Amy with something akin to hurt in his eyes. She swallowed, avoiding his gaze and waited for Donna to jump.

She did, leaping forward into the Doctor's arms and he caught her, quickly pushing her into the TARDIS.

"Amy!" He called, "Now you."

Amy slid forward in the seat, getting to the edge here she could get a good grip, and then she jumped. The Doctor catching her and pulling her inside.

Behind her the doors slammed shut and the TARDIS zoomed away.

* * *

The Doctor quickly made work of landing the TARDIS, the console spewing out an alarming amount of sparks and flames. Donna yelped as one part of it erupted into flames.

"Don't worry!" The Doctor assured her, "It's supposed to do that, but er-" He pulled one final lever, "We'd better leave, just in case."

Amy quickly helped Donna out. She looked around and realized that he had landed on a roof. She turned around, ready to ask him where they were, only to see him backing out of the ship with a fire extinguisher as it sputtered and ran out.

"Oh..." Amy groaned, "I'm not cleaning that up this time."

He sighed, looking down at the empty contained before he tossed it back into the ship and closed the door, "The TARDIS'll take care of it." He moved to sit beside Donna who was looking at her watch with a frown, "The funny thing is, for a spaceship, she doesn't really do that much flying. We'd better give her a couple of hours. You all right?"

Donna shrugged, looking down, "Doesn't matter."

"Did we miss it?" The Doctor asked.

Donna nodded, "Yeah."

Amy smiled at her stiffly, but there wasn't anything really for it. The Doctor looked at her awkwardly, "Well, you can book another date..."

"Course we can." She mumbled.

"Still got the honeymoon..."

"It's just a holiday now."

"Yeah...yeah..." The Doctor fidgeted, "Sorry."

Donna sighed, looking around, "It's not your fault."

"Oh! That's a change."

Donna gave him a weak smile, "Wish we had a time machine. Then we could go back and get it right."

The Doctor stiffened, coughing slightly and Amy smiled to herself at his panicked look. "...Yeah, yeah. But...even if I did, I couldn't go back on someone's personal timeline. Apparently."

Amy snorted and shook her head looking out over the city. a breeze came over them and the Doctor shrugged off his coat and wrapped it around Donna, sitting down next to them.

"God, you're skinny." Donna complained, "This wouldn't fit a rat."

"Oh, and you better put this on." The Doctor said, digging in his pocket and removing a golden band that looked similar to a wedding ring.

Amy just shook her head at him while Donna rolled her eyes, "Oh, do you have to rub it in?"

"Those creatures can trace you. This is a bio-damper. Should keep you hidden."

"Are they the same things as last time?" Amy asked him, "I mean...the pilot fish?"

"I think so." He grumbled.

"So..." Amy cleared her throat, "Big Fish?"

"Big Fish." He agreed.

"Oh I hated that movie." Donna scrounged up her nose and the Doctor gave her a weird look. Amy laughed lightly under her breath.

The Doctor just shook his head, grabbing the ring and sliding it on her finger, "With this ring, I thee bio-damp."

"For better or worse." Donna frowned. The Doctor smiled at her gently and Donna sighed, "So, come on then you two. Robot Santas, big fish- what are they for?"

"Ah, your basic robo-scavenger. The Father Christmas stuff is just a disguise. They're trying to blend in. We met them last Christmas."

"Why?" Donna asked, "What happened then."

The Doctor and Amy exchanged similar looks, before turning to look at Donna who had the same look of confusion on her face.

"You serious?" Amy frowned at her.

"...Great big spaceship?" The Doctor tried to jog her memory, "Hovering over London? You didn't notice?"

Donna shrugged, "I had a bit of a hangover."

"A bit?" Amy snorted, "You must've been damn near comatose."

Donna shrugged, looking like she didn't care in the slightest. The Doctor dismissed the conversation as he looked out over the area.

As Amy looked towards where he was gazing she finally understood why he'd picked this area for them to land.

"We spent Christmas Day just over there, the Powell Estate." He coughed, nodding towards where Rose's flat was, or had been. Amy doubted it was still her's anymore. More than likely it had been cleaned out and rented out to someone else by now. "With this...family. My friend, she had this family. Well, they were..."

He trailed off, unable to finish as he looked back with longing. Amy remembered last Christmas. They'd all sat around the table, pulling Christmas crackers, laughing, eating. It was so different from this christmas.

Amy choked down a sob, looking down towards the street

"Still..." The Doctor finished, "Gone now."

"Your friend?" Donna asked, "Who was she?"

"Question is, what do camouflaged robot mercenaries want with you?" The Doctor deflected the question and immediately changed the topic, and Donna at least had enough tact to not pursue it, "And how did you get inside the TARDIS? I don't know..." He looked over her again, which made Donna roll her eyes. He pulled the sonic out of his jacket, "What's your job?"

"I'm a secretary." Donna mumbled, blushing slightly as she looked a bit ashamed of her job.

The Doctor scanned her with the Sonic, "It's weird, I mean- you're not special, you're not powerful, you're not connected, you're not clever, you're not important."

"This friend of yours- just before she left, did she punch you in the face?"

Amy snorted, thinking of how Rose would have disapproved of the Doctors rambling and he would turn to her and ask if he was being rude and she would nod and he would apologize.

Donna whacked the sonic out of her face, "Stop bleeping me!"

The Doctor ignored her, "What kind of secretary?"

"I'm at HC Clements." Donna explained and Amy sort of recognized the name, but wasn't sure what it was, "It's where I met Lance. I was temping. I mean, it was all a bit posh really. I'd spent the last two years at a double glazing firm. Well, I thought- I'm never gonna fit in there. And then he made me a coffee. I mean, that just doesn't happen. Nobody gets the secretaries a coffee. And Lance- he's the head of HR! He don't need to bother with me! But he was nice, he was funny. And it turns out that he thought everyone else was really snotty too. So that's how it started, me and him- one cup of coffee. That was it."

The Doctor frowned, "When was this?"

"Six months ago."

"And you're already getting married?" Amy asked her confused.

"Well...he insisted." Donna shrugged, "And he nagged...and he nagged me. And he just wore me down and then finally. I just gave in."

Amy furrowed her eyebrows. A man nagging a woman to get married after just six months? Not that there was anything wrong with Donna, she was sure she was perfectly sweet when she wasn't...yelling. But that seemed rather strange.

"What does HC Clements do?" The Doctor asked, seemingly more interested in her job than her relationship.

"Oh, security systems." Donna shrugged, "You know...entry codes, ID cards- that sort of thing. If you ask me, it's a posh name for 'locksmith'."

"Keys..." The Doctor mused.

"Is that important?" Amy asked.

He shrugged, "Everything's important when you have no idea what's happening."

"It doesn't matter." Donna waved them off, "Enough of my CV. Come on, it's time to face the consequences. Oh, this is gonna be so shaming. You can do the explaining, Martian-boy."

"Yeah. I'm not from Mars." The Doctor explained, looking almost offended.

Donna nodded and Amy climbed to her feet, watching as the Doctor helped Donna to her feet.

"Oh, I had this great big reception all planned." Donna looked so sad and Amy smiled at her, "Everyone's gonna be heartbroken."

* * *

Amy stared at the room in the same shock as Donna. This was...horrible. She thought back to her own wedding, when she'd had the worst sort of cold feet in her life. But if she hadn't shown, and they'd had the reception. Oh, she would've kicked some arse.

Slowly everyone in the room stopped dancing and turned to look at the trio as they walked in. Amy looked and saw the groom dancing with another woman and she pursed her lips.

"You had the reception without me?" Donna gapped at them in anger.

"Donna..." The groom, Lance, walked forward, "What happened to yah?"

Donna breathed heavily, her voice raising a notch, "You had the reception_ without me_?!"

There was an extremely awkward pause as the guests all looked at each other, not sure what to say.

"Hello!" The Doctor said cheerfully, "I'm the Doctor, this is Amy." Amy raised her hand and gave a small wave.

Donna rounded on them, her eyes wide in shock, "They had the reception without me!"

"Yes, I gathered." The Doctor nodded.

"Well, it was all paid for-" A blond woman with a pinched face sneered, "Why not?"

"Thank you, Nerys!" Donna snapped.

"Oh! _That's_ Nerys?" Amy whispered.

"Well, what were we supposed to do?" A blond woman walked over to Donna, older. Judging by the family resemblance Amy assumed this was her mother, "I got your silly little message in the end- 'I'm on Earth'? Very funny. What the hell happened? How did you do it? I mean, what's the trick because I'd love to know-"

The entire room erupted into shouting and arguing as all the guests rounded on Donna, and the Doctor actively jumped away, but Donna just looked like this was a normal occurrence. Amy crept away, not wanting to get into the middle of it.

And then out of nowhere Donna burst into tears.

The anger melted away, and everyone started to reach for her. She held her arms out for Lance, who came forward and held her as she cried into her shoulder. Everyone started to applaud.

Donna peeked out of Lance's shoulder, smirking and sent them a wink. Amy's eyebrows shot straight up.

"She's good." Amy shook her head, glad for once that she had a relatively small family. The Doctor smirked, looking at Donna with an entirely new light.

* * *

The party looked fun, but Amy wasn't in the mood for dancing. Neither was the Doctor from the look of it. Both of them leaned against the bar, a little ways from each other, neither of them ready to talk quite yet.

Amy had ordered a glass of wine, and sipped at it slowly. The Doctor had sent her a look saying he disapproved, but he didn't come up to her so she ignore him, and drank it. She needed a drink.

Donna was dancing with Lance, looking like she was having the time of her life. Amy smiled at her, remembering her own wedding. That had been different. Both her and the Doctor had been dancing then. It had been joyous, they were all alive, they had saved the universe.

But this...they were in the middle of a battle, had no idea who against, and they had just lost so much...

Amy saw the Doctor go over to a man and speak to him. The man nodded and handed him a phone. Sensing business instead of pleasure Amy wandered over, watching as he searched H.C. Clements into it.

He looked around, making sure no one else was watching before he pulled out his sonic and pressed it to the phone.

'Sole prop. TORCHWOOD."

The Doctor pursed his lips and clenched his jaw as he closed the screen..

Amy frowned, "It's Christmas."

"I'm aware." He answered.

Amy shook her head, "Canary Wharf...that was in the summer. Months ago. How could Torchwood still be sole prop? They don't exist anymore."

But the Doctor wasn't listening to her.

Amy turned to see what he was looking at and her stomach clench. He was watching a man dancing with a blond haired woman with hair the same colour as Rose's. Amy looked away and went back to the Doctor, whose eyes were watery and his mind a hundred miles away.

"Doctor...?" Amy whispered. "I know what you're doing."

He sniffed looking way from the couple, but still not towards her, "What's that then."

"All this..." She shook her head looking around, "You're sticking your hand into the first things you could find so that you'll be distracted from-" She stopped as his eyes turned to her. They were dark and warning. She swallowed and looked away, "It's not healthy."

"And this is different then what you're doing, how?"

Amy stiffened, "It's different with me...I'll...I'll see him again, past him- but..." She cleared her throat, trying to remove the lump that had formed there.

The Doctor's eyes soften and they both looked away from each other, trying to ignore the tense atmosphere that had formed.

The Doctor's eyes narrowed as he spotted a man recording the dancing on a camera.

"Do you think he got anything?" Amy asked him.

He shrugged, "One way to find out."

* * *

"I taped the whole thing." The camera man said proudly as he put a tape into the camera, ready to show them what had happened, "They've all had a look. They said, 'Sell it to You've Been Framed'. I said 'More like the news'. Here we are..."

Amy leaned over, watching as he pressed play. Donna was walking down the aisle, completely at ease until a golden light started to fly around her. She started to scream as she disintegrated and vanished.

"I've seen that before..." Amy whispered, tilting her head as her stomach dropped.

The Doctor shook his head, "Can't be! Play it again?"

"Clever, mind!" The cameraman said as he rewound it, "Good trick, I'll give her that. I was clapping.

The Doctor rewatched the footage again, but Amy's stomach just clenched and she looked away, "But that looks like...I've seen that before!"

"So have I." Amy repeated, her voice small, "It's what happened to..." Her voice caught and she breathed out, "It's what happened to Rory in Cardiff."

The Doctor looked at her with soft eyes, and Amy avoided eye contact, looking down. The Doctor sighed.

"Well that's Huon particles," He whispered, "And with Rory...that's rare, in fact, with Rory it's probably the only time in the history of the universe. Huon energy doesn't exist anymore- It's so old..."

His face dropped and turned pale.

"It can't be hidden by a Biodampner!."

Amy's eyes got wide and she spun around, looking over to where Donna was still dancing, completely unaware of the danger. She looked back and gapped as the Doctor was gone.

"Doctor?!" She called. She turned until she spotted him by a window. She ran over, but he was already on the movie again, heading towards Donna. Amy ignored him and looked out the window, gasping as she saw a group of the santa robots standing outside.

"Donna!" The Doctor called, "Donna, they've found you.'

Donna stopped at looked at him in shock, "But you said I was safe."

"The biodamper doesn't work." The Doctor said quickly, "We've got to get everyone out."

But Donna was just looking around in horror, "Oh, my God- it's all my family..."

Amy looked around the room and noticed the Christmas trees. Last Christmas came to mind and a horrible thought came to her mind.

"Doctor-"

"Out the back door!" The Doctor called.

Amy tried to grab his arm, but he yanked away heading to the back door, only to open it and find two more Santa's out there. Amy clenched her jaw in agitation.

"Doctor!" She yelled.

"Maybe not." The Doctor ran back inside and back over to the window.

Annoyed Amy ran over to him and yanked his arm, "Doctor!"

"What!" He snapped.

"Christmas trees!" She pointed towards them angrily.

He looked at her in confusion for a few seconds before his eyes widened in horror.

"What about them?" Donna asked.

The Doctor looked around, trying to think of anything to fight them with, "They kill." He ran off into the crowd, yelling, "Get away from the tree!"

"Don't touch the tree!" Donna ordered, trying to moved her family out of danger.

"Get away from the Christmas trees!" The Doctor ordered again, "Everyone get away from them.

Amy helped, grabbing a group of children and moving them away, but the adults weren't moving. They were just standing there glancing at the three of them like they had grown three heads.

"Oh, for God's sake." Donna's mother, Sylvia, rolled her eyes, "Those two are idiots! Why? What's a Christmas tree gonna...oh!"

Amy turned back to the tree, watching frozen as the christmas ornaments all started to float off the tree. They floated above the tree in a strange choreographed manner. Amy started to back away, but the party goers were enthralled, a few of them even going so far as to clap.

But then one of the balls flew across the room and exploded like a grenade against a table.

One by one the balls flew around the room, destroying the party. The guests ran screaming, trying to find anything to hide behind. Amy saw a green ornament flying her way and kicked over a table, grabbing a small boy who was nearby and diving behind it as it exploded.

She coughed, standing up turning to the kid, "Stay here!" SHe ordered, looking up and trying to find the Doctor.

Donna and Lance were hiding underneath a table, but after seeing what Amy had done Donna kicked it over, pulling Lance down as they hid. Smoke and fire covered the room, but soon Amy was able to locate the Doctor running towards the DJ stand.

She moved to head over to him, but the way was blocked. The robots had gotten into the room and lined up at the far wall, taking their aim.

"Doctor!" She called, but one of the Robots turned its gun and fired in her direction. She quickly rolled back behind the table with the little boy.

"Oi!" The Doctor cried, trying to get's their attention, "Santa! Word of advice: if you're attacking a man with a sonic screwdriver..." He leaned forward into the microphone, "...don't let him near the sound system."

Amy immediately covered the little boy's ears, watching as the Doctor held his sonic next to the amplifiers. A horrible high pitched screech filled the room and Amy could only contort her face in pain.

The Santa started to vibrate madly until finally the sonic waves were too much and they fell apart.

* * *

**A/N: So i'm thinking i'm gonna start updating on a weekly basis. I have a full time job now, and the way my shifts work my weekends fall on wednesday and thursday, so those will probably be the day's I'll update. **

**Thank you so much to everyone who updated last chapter! I know I got back to some of you, but not everyone. Sorry! i still love all of you though, and I'm glad that so many of you have already come over from the last story!**

**Also super hella thank you to everyone who is following my dw blog on tumblr! I'm rocking 200 followers now, which relatively speaking isn't that many, but i'm super proud!**

**Well I don't have a whole lot to say. Remember my goal is 1k so please review and I'll love you forever! **

**Until Next Time,**

**-Ash**


	3. Human Resources

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who**_

* * *

**Chapter 3: Human Resources**

_"Or maybe you could just listen a minute. Because all I really want to do is accept your total surrender and then I'll let you go in peace."_**  
**

* * *

For a few moments nobody dared to move, but either there was no grenades left, or the robots had been controlling them, but everything was finished.

The little boy sitting next to her ran up, probably off to find his parents. Amy got up, watching as the Doctor ran over to the remains of the Santa's.

"Ugh." Amy groaned, rubbing her ears.

"Sorry." The Doctor mumbled, not even looking up. He picked up a controller that they'd been using.

"Looks like a N64 controller." Amy said. The Doctor gave her a weird look and Amy shrugged, "What?"

"You two." Donna rounded on them, "Stop wittering, just help 'em."

"It's a remote control for the decorations." The Doctor held it up for Donna's sake, "But there's a second remote control for the robots." He examined one of the heads with a frown, "They're not scavengers anymore. I think someone's taken possession."

Donna shook her head, "Never mind all that, you're a doctor- people have been hurt."

"Nah," The Doctor said standing up and Amy blinked at him. "They wanted you alive," The Doctor said tossing a bauble to Donna who flinched, "They're not active now."

"All I'm saying- you could help."

"Of course we'll help." Amy told her earnestly.

"No," The Doctor shook his head at her, "You two gotta think of the bigger picture...there's still a signal!"

Then he took off. Amy gapped at him and ran after him, a few seconds later Donna followed them and they went outside the reception hall.

"Doctor!" Amy snapped, trying to catch up, "There's people hurt!"

"There's someone behind this," The Doctor spoke more to himself, sonicing the helmet, "Directing the robo-force."

Donna had finally decided that the Doctor wasn't going to help with the mess inside and sighed, "But why is it me? What have I done?"

"If we find the controller, we'll find that out. Oh!" The Doctor furrowed his eyebrows as he raised his sonic straight up into the air, "It's up there. Something in the sky."

"In orbit?" Amy asked.

"Or cloaked." The Doctor pointed out before the Sonic beeped and he growled, "No!"

"What is it?" Donna asked.

"I've lost the signal- Donna, we've got to get to your office, H.C. Clements. I think that's where it all started. Lance- is it Lance?" Amy jumped, turning to see Lance standing awkwardly with them. She hadn't even noticed him come in, "Can you give me a lift?"

And without waiting for an answer he'd run off.

"I swear to god..." Amy grumbled, following him.

* * *

As soon as they arrived at H.C. Clements the Doctor went straight to a computer, quickly going through the files.

"This might just be a locksmiths, but H.C. Clements was brought up twenty-three years ago by the Torchwood Institute."

"Who are they?" Donna asked.

"Canary Wharf." Amy explained, "They were behind the Battle and the Cybermen invasion."

Lance nodded like he understood, and even looked a bit nervous, but Donna just looked at them with a blank expression on her face.

"...Cyberman invasion?" Amy repeated.

"Skies over London full of Daleks?" The Doctor continued, both of them looking at Donna, confused. How did you miss that.

"Oh," Donna nodded, "I was in Spain."

"They had Cybermen in Spain." The Doctor told her.

"Scuba diving."

"That big picture, Donna- you keep on missing it." The Doctor sighed, then moved over to another computer, "Torchwood was destroyed, but H.C. Clements stayed in business. I think...someone else came in and took over..." He slammed the computer, "The operation."

"But what do they want with me?" Donna frowned.

The Doctor turned to look at her, "Somehow you've been dosed with Huon energy. And that's a problem because Huon energy hasn't existed since the Dark times, with the exception of one Rory William's, but that's something else entirely. Besides him, the only other place you'd find a Huon particle now is a remnant in the heart of the TARDIS. See? That's what happened. Say...that's the TARDIS." He pulled up a mug, "And that's you." He pulled up a Pencil, "The particles inside you activated. The Two sets of particles magnetized and _whap!" _He threw the pencil into the mug, "You were pulled inside the TARDIS."

"I'm a pencil inside a mug?" Donna asked weakly.

"Yes, you are. 4H. Sums you up. Although." He stopped, pondering something, "I guess it's only 50/50 that you wound up in the TARDIS instead of with Rory, good luck there. Lance?" He turned to he groom, who was blinking at them confused, "What was H.C. Clements working on? Anything top secret? Special operations? Do not enter?"

"I don't know." Lance said defensively, "I'm in charge of personnel. I wasn't project manager."

The Doctor pressed his sonic into the screen, and it flipped to the page he was looking for.

"Why am I even explaining myself?" Lance wrinkled his nose, "What the hell are we talking about?

"They make keys." The Doctor said, gesturing to the screen, "That's the point. And look at this..." He pointed at a 3D map of the building, "Were on the third floor."

"I can see that." Amy frowned, but the Doctor was already up heading over to the elevator, pressing the down button, "Doctor?"

"Underneath reception, there's a basement, yes?"

The door pinged and opened and the Doctor went inside, looking at the controls.

"Then how come when you look on the lift, there's a button marked 'lower basement'? There's a whole floor which doesn't exist on the official plans. So what's down there, then?"

"Are you telling me this building's got a secret floor?" Lance asked dubiously.

"No, I'm showing you this building's got a secret floor."

Donna frowned, "It needs a key."

"I don't." The Doctor pointed the sonic at the lock, before turning to Donna and Lance, "Right then, thanks you two, we can handle this- see you later."

"No chance, Martian!" Donna snapped, pushing her way into the elevator, "You're the man who keeps saving my life, I ain't letting you out of my sight."

"Going down." The Doctor said, obviously done with arguing with the bride.

Donna looked out the door at her husband, who obviously had no interest in going with them, "Lance?"

He shifted, "Maybe I should go to the police."

"Inside!"

Lance slumped and meekly joined them in the elevator, going to stand beside the Doctor.

The Doctor smirked at him, "To honor and obey?"

"Tell me about it, mate."

"Oi!" Donna snapped at them and they both fell silent.

Amy looked at the fellow ginger with a smirk, "I like you.'

"Thanks." Donna said, "I like you too."

* * *

"Where are we?" Donna whispered as they looked down a long corridor, which was dimly lit with a green light.

"Well this place just screams 'something evil is down there'." Amy pointed out.

"What does go on down here?" Donna whispered.

The Doctor walked forward looking far too excited, "Let's find out..."

They walked a bit down the corridor, Donna whispering, "Do you think Mr. Clements knowns about this place?"

"The mysterious H.C. Clements? I think he's part of it." His eye's went to the side and he grinned, Oh, look- transport!"

* * *

Amy trailed a bit behind the Doctor as she tried to get her electric scooter to go forward. These things were harder to operate to use than she'd thought.

"Hurry up Amy!" The Doctor called back, a bit of humor in his voice.

Amy yelped as her scooter went backwards, and then she leaned and finally made it go forward, catching up with the others.

The Doctor started to laugh as they moved down the hall, Donna and Lance quickly joining in. Amy was far to focussed on not falling off the scooter to join in.

The Doctor slowly came to a stop, jumping off the scooter. Amy tried to stop, but came in a little fast. The Doctor grabbed it, stopping it and Amy quickly got off, glaring at the horrible form of transportation.

She looked up to see what the Doctor had seen and saw a door with a sign up top, 'Torchwood: Authorized Personnel Only'.

The Doctor turned a wheel on the wall and the door opened to reveal a ladder. He looked inside and up, then back at them, "Wait here. Just ned to get my bearings. Don't..." He pointed at them, Amy specifically, "...Do Anything."

He started up the ladder.

"You'd better come back!" Donna threatened.

His voice echoed back, "I couldn't get rid of you if I tried!"

"Donna.." Lance's asked as they watched the Doctor climb, "Have you though about this? Properly? I mean, this is serious! What the hell are we gonna do?!"

"Oh, I thought July." Donna smiled at him brightly, then back at where the Doctor had gone.

The Doctor wasn't gone long. Only a few minutes later they heard him coming back down the ladder. He reached the bottom and jumped off the last rung.

"Thames flood barrier!" He announced, "Right on top of us. Torchwood snuck in and built this place underneath,"

"What, there's like a secret base hidden underneath a major London Landmark?"

"You should see what's under The Tower of London." Amy chuckled.

The Doctor furrowed his face, "What's underneath the Tower of London?"

"U.N.I.T. headquarters." Amy answered him, "It's all very high tech now."

"Huh." The Doctor shook his head, then walked down the corridor. They all followed him as he walked into a chemistry lab, full of massive equipment and test tubs, "Speaking of high tech. Oh!" He ran over to a particular set of tubs, connected to large ones that were all over the lab, "Look at this! Stunning! Particle extrusion."

"What does it do?" Donna asked with a frown.

"Particle extrusion." The Doctor said unhelpfully, "Hold on..." He walked over to another tube and tapped it, "Brilliant. They've been manufacturing Huon particles. In case my people got rid of Huon's, they unravelled the atomic structure."

"Your people?" Lance asked, "Who are they? What company do you represent?"

"Oh, we're freelancers." The Doctor gestured to him and Amy, "But this lot are rebuilding them. They've been using the river! Extruding them through a flat hydrogen base so they've got the end result- Huon particles in liquid form."

He picked up a small test tube full of the Huon particles.

"And that's what's inside me?" Donna asked, studying it.

The Doctor gently turned a knob, and the test tube glowed gold. And Amy gasped, looking to see Donna glowing as well.

"Oh, my god!" Donna's eyes were wide.

"Because the particles are inert- they need something living to catalyze inside and that's you. Saturate the body and...HA!" He jumped, making everyone else jump as well, "The wedding! Yes, you're getting married, that's it! Best day of your life, walking down the aisle- oh, your body's a battleground! There's a chemical war inside! Adrenaline, acetylcholine, WHAM go the endorphins, oh you're cooking! Yeah, you're like a walking oven! A pressure cooker, a microwave, all churning away, the particles reach boiling point, SHAZAM!"

Donna reached forward and slapped him.

The Doctor turned back to her, "What did I do this time?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Amy snapped, looking at him with her mouth hanging open.

He looked between her and Donna, confused.

"Are you enjoying this?" Donna asked, her voice cracking slightly.

The Doctor relaxed, looking back on what he'd been saying and relaxed, looking ashamed.

"Right." Donna nodded, "Just tell me- these particles, are they dangerous? Am I safe?"

"Yes!" The Doctor said unconvincingly.

"Doctor..." Donna looked at him pleadingly, "If your lot got rid of the Huon particles...why did they do that?"

The Doctor looked at her gently, seemingly remembering that Donna was actually a person, "Because they were deadly."

Amy felt her stomach contract, "What...?"

"Oh, my God..."

"I'll sort it out, Donna." The Doctor promised, "Whatever's been done to you, I'll reverse it. I'm not about to lose someone else."

Before Amy could ask him what she desperately needed to, loud bangs and crashes surrounded them. Amy turned, but the echoes were making it hard to find out where it was coming from.

"_Oh, she is long since lost."_

"Ominous..." Amy whispered, turning when one of the walls slowly slid up to show a secret chamber with a huge role in the floor.

"_I have waited so long, hibernating at the edge of the universe...until the secret heart was uncovered and called out to waken!"_

They walked further into the chamber, seeing the walls lined with more of the robots. The Doctor looked down into the hole in the middle of the room, "Someone's been digging...oh, very Torchwood. Drilled by laser. How far down does it go?"

"_Down and down, all the way to the centre of the Earth!"_

"Why were they digging?" Amy peering into the whole.

"Dinosaurs."

"What?" The Doctor looked over at Donna in surprise. Amy looked around and realized that Lance must've made a run for it. Typical.

"Dinosaurs?" Donna repeated, less certain of herself.

"What are you on about, dinosaurs?"

"That film, Under the Earth, with Dinosaurs." Donna explained, "Trying to help!"

"That's not helping."

"Unless it's Silurian's." Amy defended Donna, "Then it could be helpful."

"It's not Silurian's."

"It could be." Amy grumbled.

"_Such a sweet couple."_

Amy scoffed loudly, "_So, _not a couple."

The Doctor rolled his eyes, "Only a madman talks to thin air and trust me, you don't want to make me mad."

"You won't like him when he's mad." Amy mumbled under her breathe.

"Amy..." The Doctor rubbed his forehead, "Not the time." He turned back to the cavern, "Where are you?"

"_High in the sky, floating so high on Christmas Night."_

"I didn't come all this way to talk on the intercom! Come on, let's have a look at you!" The Doctor shouted.

"_You are you with such command."_

The Doctor looked straight, his eyes swimming with darkness, "I'm the Doctor."

"_Prepare your best medicines, doctor-man, for you will be sick at heart."_

A bright light filled the room and Amy covered her eyes. When the light faded Amy could only watch in shock.

"You've gotta be kidding me." She gapped.

It was a giant spider lady. There was no better way to put it. Huge and red, with all sort of spikes and jagged edged. Her eyes, all of them, were black and bulging, with sharp fang like teeth which barely fit in her mouth.

"The Racnoss..." The Doctor muttered, shaking his head, "But that's impossible, you're one of the Racnoss!"

"Empress of the Racnoss!" The Giant spider hissed.

The Doctor frowned, "If you're the Empress, where's the rest of the Racnoss? Or...are you the only one?"

"Such a sharp mind!" The Racnoss snapped sarcastically.

"That's it, the last of your kind..." He turned to Donna and Amy, "The Racnoss comes from the Dark Times, billions of years ago, billions. They were carnivores, omnivores, they devoured whole planets."

"Racnoss are born starving, is that out fault?!"

"They eat people?" Donna gasped.

"You'd be surprised how many aliens do." Amy wrinkled her nose

"H.C. Clements, " The Doctor looked up with a sour look on his face, "Did he wear those- those erm, black and white shoes?"

"He did!" Donna grinned, "We used to laugh, we used to call him the fat cat in spats."

The Doctor nodded, and pointed upwards. They all looked as saw a huge web that spanned across the ceiling. Amy wondered how they had missed it before. But buried into the web was a human body, only the black and white shoes sticking out the end.

"Oh, my god." Donna gasped.

The Racnoss cackled, "Mm, my Christmas dinner."

The Doctor still looked shocked by the arrival of the alien, "You shouldn't even exist! Way back in history, the Fledgling Empires went to war against the Racnoss- they were wipe out."

"Except for me."

Donna stepped forward, rather boldly in Amy's opinion, "But that's what I've got inside me, that Huon energy thing. Oi!" She snapped, making Amy jump, "Look at me, lady, I'm talking. Where do I fit in? How come I get all stacked up with these Huon particles Look at me, you!" Amy looked past the snake and gasped, seeing Lance approaching the spider with an axe, "Look me in the eye and tell me!"

"The bride is so feisty!"

"Yes, I am! And I don't know what you are, you big...thing. But a spider's just a spider and an axe is an axe! Now do it!"

Lance swung the axe back and the Empress' eye's widened and she swung around at the last second.

Then Lance stopped.

Amy furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Lance glanced over at them and started to laugh, the Empress hissing in laugher along with him.

"That was a good one." Lance laughed, looking at the Racnoss, "Your face!"

"Lance is funny."

Donna looked at Lance, not understanding, "What?"

The Doctor came up to her, his eyes sad, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Donna asked, looking back at her fiancé, "Lance, don't be so stupid! Get her!"

"God, she's thick." Lance stared at her in pity. Donna looked at him, her face slowly falling as she understood. "Months I had to put up with her. Months! A woman who can't even point to Germany on a map."

"I don't understand..." Donna whispered.

"How did you meet him?" The Doctor asked her gently.

Amy bit her lip as she remembered the story Donna had told them. SHe had been right, nobody makes coffee for the secretaries.

"In the office..."

Amy came over to her, grabbing her hand, "He made you coffee."

"What?"

"Every day," Lance repeated as if talking to an idiot, "I made you coffee."

"Oi!" Amy snapped at him, "You shut it!"

The Doctor stared at Donna, ignoring everyone else, "You had to be dosed with liquid particles over six months."

"He was poisoning me?"

"It was all there in the job title-" The Doctor turned his eyes to Lance bitterly, "The Head of Human Resources."

"This time, it's personnel."

"How long have you been working on that?" Amy sneered.

"But...we were getting married."

"Well, I couldn't risk you running off!" Lance defended, "I had to say yes. And then I was stuck with a woman who thinks the height of excitement is a new flavor Pringle. Oh, I had to sit there and listen to all that yap yap yap- oh, Brad and Angelina- is Posh pregnant? X factor, Atkins diet, Feng shui, split ends, text me, text me, text me. dear God, the never ending fountain of fat, stupid trivia. I deserve a medal!"

"Oh, is that what she's offered you? The Empress of the Racnoss? What are you? Her consort?"

"It's better than a night with her."

"But..." Donna's voice quivered, "I love you."

Lance sneered, "That's what made it easy." He turned to the Doctor, "It's like you said, Doctor- the big picture- what's the point of it all if the Human Race is nothing?"

"The human race isn't nothing." Amy snapped at him, "We grow into one of the biggest empires in the universe!"

"But not for thousands of years." He growled, "Thats' what the empress can give me. The chance to...go out there. To see it. The size of it all. I think you understand that, don't you, Doctor?"

"Who is this little physician?"

Lance shrugged, "What she said-Martian."

"Oh, I'm sort of...homeless." The Doctor quickly interrupted, pulling at his earlobe, "But the point is, what's down here?" He looked into the hole, "The Racnoss are extinct. What's gonna help you four thousand miles down? That's just the molten core of the Earth, isn't it?"

"I think he wants us to talk?" Lance said sardonically.

"Oh shut up, " Amy narrowed her eyes at him, "You don't know either."

"Well tough!" Lance hissed, "All we need is Donna."

"Kill this chattering little doctor-man and the loud red-haired girl."

"Oi!" Amy yelled.

Donna stood in front of them, "Don't you hurt them!"

"No, no, it's alright." The Doctor looked down at her, touched.

"No, I won't let them!" Donna cried, her eyes watering in fear.

"At arms!" The Empress shouted.

All around them the robots swiveled, pointing their guns at the two of them. Donna still stood protectively in front of them but Amy couldn't help but feel that these robots were fairly decent shots.

"Ah, now." The Doctor held up a hand, "Except-"

"Take aim!"

"Well, I just want to point out the obvious-"

"They won't hit the bride!" The Racnoss hissed, spitting everywhere, "They're such very good shots."

"just- just- just- hold on, just a tick, just a tiny- just a little- tick." The Doctor stuttered, "If you think about it, the particles activated in Donna and drew her inside my spaceship. So, reverse it...the spaceship comes to her."

He held up the tube of Huon particles, and activated it, making both it and Donna glow brightly once more.

"Fire!"

They robots all started to shot, Amy ducked, covering her head, but none of the bullets hit. Opening her eyes she could see the inside of the TARDIS slowly start to appear around them.

She let out a breath of relief, "Took your time."

He ignored her, running over to the console "Off we go!"

Amy could hear the Empress howling in rage on the other side of the Door, but she could only hang on as the ship dematerialized around them.

* * *

**A/N: Woot! Another chapter. This once a week thing is probably gonna be the thing, unless I have another day or something where I've written a lot and feel good about it.**

**Thank you so much to everyone who's following me on tumblr. I followed a few of you back under my main blog, but you are all fab. **

**Series 8 news!: U.N.I.T is making a return, as is osgood, who, instead of the scarf, was sporting a rather familiar bowtie. The Cybermen are returning as well! Kate Stewart is coming back. And I know that there was some filming in a grave yard, and there were some interesting gravestone props, including victorian clara's grave, ellie oswalds grave, and Amy and Rory's grave. So I'm not sure what's happening there, but I'm excited!**

**Also, everyone see the teaser? It wasn't much but I am very excited. I'm wondering what kind of route they're going for with Capaldi, and I'm wondering if they're gonna do a tabula rasa thing. I'm just very excited.**

**Oh boy, I don't think I have much else to say right now. Please review with any comments, concerns or questions! **

**Until Next Time,**

**-Ash**


	4. A Walk In the Dust

_**Disclaimer: I do not own doctor who**_

* * *

**Chapter 4: A Walk in the Dust**

_"Can I come in?"_

_"Of course not! You could be anyone."_

_"I could be, but I'm not. I'm the Doctor"_  
_ -The Doctor & Mrs Rossiter_

* * *

"Oh, you know what I said before about time machines? Well, I lied. And now we're gonna use it."

Donna didn't say, anything. She still stared ahead, completely in shock about everything that had just happened.

"We need to find out what the Empress of the Racnoss is digging up. If something's buried at the planet core, it must've been there since the beginning. That's just brilliant. Molto bene! I've always wanted to see this. Donna- we're going further back than I've ever been before."

He turned to look at them, only to find Amy holding Donna as she sobbed.

Amy patted her back, holding her as she cried. She held back her own tears. Donna was holding onto her, trying to find any sort of comfort, but all Amy wanted was for someone to come and comfort her. And this might be the closet thing she would get. But she couldn't break down now, they still had to save Donna and figure out what the Racnoss was after.

And she still had a question for the Doctor.

She let Donna go, moving her over to the captains chair and let her sit down, where she looked blankly ahead, wiping her tears away.

"Doctor?" Amy asked, walking over until she was standing beside him, "I need to ask, about the Huon particles."

"What about them?" He asked, keeping his voice low.

"You said they were deadly." She whispered, "And Rory...well you said he has them, like Donna."

He looked up at her, his eyes dark and soft, "Honestly Amy, I don't know. He's alive, which means they're obviously not deadly in him. Maybe R-" He froze, looking ahead, before he cleared his throat, "Maybe Bad Wolf did something, made it safe."

"But what if he's not?" Amy whimpered.

The Doctor looked at her sadly, "Amy...when he got sent to the other universe. The Huon energy wouldn't have gone with him. They probably went back into the heart of the TARDIS."

Amy quickly looked away, her heart stuttering wildly, "Oh, so...I thought, maybe..." She swallowed, trying to hide the tears, She had hoped that maybe because of how he jumps along the Doctor's timeline, that maybe he would just jump back into this universe...but if, if the Huon energy was gone, he was stuck.

He was actually gone.

"We're arrived." The Doctor said loudly, peeking around to look at Donna in he chair, who also looked miserable, "Want to see?"

"I s'pose." She said unenthusiastically.

The Doctor swung the monitor around, but look between it and Donna, "Oh, that scanner's a bit small. Maybe your way's best."

He ran over to the door, standing there as he waited for Donna. Amy smiled a bit, knowing that he loved this. Showing them this new word, Amy knew it would cheer Donna up.

"Come on." The Doctor urged. Donna sighed and stood up and walked over to the door, "No human's ever seen this. You'll be the first."

"All I want to see is my bed."

"Here, here." Amy grumbled, moving over to the screen so see what they were looking at.

"Donna Noble- welcome to the creation of the Earth."

Amy grinned softly, pressing her hand to her forehead as she looked at the rubbling floating through space, the glow of the early sun behind them.

"We've gone back 4.6 billion years. There's no solar system, not yet. Only dust and rocks and gas." He pointed out at the door, "That's the sun over there, brand new. Just beginning to burn."

Amy looked at screen sadly. She'd been there when the sun expanded too. At the beginning and the end. A sad sense of nostalgia crept up inside her as she looked at the star. It didn't seem quite so endless to her anymore...

"Where's the Earth?" Donna asked.

"All around us." The Doctor grinned at her, "In the dust."

"Puts the wedding in perspective." Donna shook her head in disbelief, "Lance was right. We're just...tiny."

"No, but that's what you do." The Doctor looked down at her fondly, "The human race. Making sense out of chaos. Marking it out with weddings and christmas and calendars. This whole process is beautiful, but only if it's being observed."

"So, I came out of all this?" Donna whispered.

"Isn't that brilliant?"

Donna nodded and pointed out the door, "I think that's the Isle of Wight."

They both laughed and Amy smiled softly to herself, glad that Donna had cheered up.

"Eventually," The Doctor continued, "Gravity takes hold. Say, one big rock, heavier than the others, starts to pull other rocks towards it. All the dust and gas and elements get pulled in, everything, piling in until you get the-"

"Earth." Donna finished.

"But the question is...what was that first rock?"

Amy squinting, seeing something on the screen, "That's not supposed to be there..."

"What isn't?" The Doctor turned to look at her, but Donna pulled on his sleeve, having seen the same thing.

"Look."

The Doctor gasped, "The Racnoss..."

"What're they doing?" Amy asked, watching as the ship, shaped like a spiders wed, moved through the debris field.

"They must be hiding from the war..." The Doctor furrowed his eyebrows, looking just as confused as the rest of them. He ran back to the console and started to turn a wheel frantically.

They all watched as all the dust and rocks started to move, pulling out of their orbit towards the ship.

"Exactly what the Doctor said." Donna whispered.

The Doctor ran back to the door, and Amy looked down at the screen.

"Oh," The Doctor gasped, "They didn't just bury something at the centre of the Earth...they became the centre of the Earth. The first rock."

"Well what happens if that first piece gets removed?" Amy asked, "Will the Earth...fall apart?"

"Of course not." The Doctor scoffed, "The Earth has been melted, solidified, and remelted a hundred thousand times. It's fine, it's the universe that's in trouble if the Racnoss come back."

The entire TARDIS shuddered and Amy gripped the console, trying to stay upright.

"What was that?" Donna asked.

"Trouble."

The Doctor slammed the door shut, and they both stumbled back to the console as the room started to shudder more. It seemed the TARDIS was fighting something and the entire ship groaned in pain.

"What the hell's it doing!" Donna shouted.

The Doctor flinched, "Remember that little trick I pulled- particles pulling particles. It works in reverse- they're pulling us back!"

Amy frowned, wondering not for the first time if this was it. The way to get Rory back. She knew he didn't have the particles in him in Rose's universe anymore. But maybe if she got him before he fell, then maybe she could stop all this from happening.

"Well can't you stop it?!" Donna yelled, "Hasn't it got a handbrake?"

"Yes it does." Amy gasped, "And it's already on!'

"No it's not!" The Doctor defended, moving around the console.

Amy rolled her eyes and Donna continued, "Can't you reverse or warp or beam or something?"

"Backseat drivers! The both of you!" The Doctor growled before he paused, looking down, "Oh! Wait a minute!"

He reached out from under the console and pulled something up that Amy hadn't seen in a year.

"You still have that thing?" Amy gapped.

"You bet I do!" He cheering, looking over at Donna, "The extrapolator! Can't stop us, but it should give us a good bump."

The TARDIS started to materialize, and then midway the Doctor whacked the extrapolator, "Now!"

They landed and the Doctor ran over to the door, sticking his head out.

"Where are we?" Amy asked.

"About 200 yards to the right." He said quietly, "Come on!"

They ran down the corridor, both Amy and Donna just trusting that the Doctor knew where he was going.

He kept going until he stopped right beside the door which lead up to the Thames flood barrier.

Donna stopped, breathing heavily, "But what do we do?"

The Doctor pulled out a stethoscope, pressing it to the door, "I don't know! I make it up as I go along! But trust me, I've got a history"

"He does." Amy assured her, and the Doctor sent her a smug look, "Usually he pulls it out of his arse seconds away from a painful death, but he usually pulls through."

"Oi!" The Doctor pouted.

"But I still don't understand." Dona shook her head, "I'm full of particles- but what for?"

"There's a Racnoss web at the centre of the Earth," The Doctor said, "But my people unravelled their power source. The Huon particles ceased to exist but the Racnoss are stuck-"

Amy heard a sound from behind her and turned, gasping as she saw Donna being grabbed by a robot creature.

"Doc-" She started to cry, but then her own mouth was covered. She grabbed it arm, trying to pull it away, but it was too strong. She could only wiggling and struggle and watch as she was pulled away, and the Doctor hadn't even turned to look at them. Too worked up about his own findings.

Finally they had had enough of her struggled and whacked her over the head, knocking her out.

* * *

Amy awoke to find herself wrapped up in spiderweb.

"Gross..." She groaned, rolling her neck as she couldn't free her hands to rub the bump that was surely forming on the back of her head. She looked to her right to see Donna and Lance in similar predicaments. "How you liking the bigger picture?" Amy asked him.

He sent her a dirty look, but Donna just looked relieved, "Oh, Amy, thank god. I thought you might be dead."

Amy looked down, realizing she was positioned directly over that pit, "Oh well, you know, didn't wanna miss the show."

"What show!" Lance spat, "The one where we all die painfully?"

"No, the one where we escape."

"Ha!" He snorted without humor, "I've seen the Racnoss technology. We haven't got a chance."

"Not with that attitude we don't." Amy snorted, "But we've got something she doesn't."

"Yeah?" Lance asked mockingly, "What's that?"

"The Doctor."

"You're Martian friend?" He snorted, "Why the hell would he wanna help her? He probably ran off first chance he got now that he's gotten rid of yah."

Donna narrowed her eyes at him, "I hate you."

"Yeah, I think we've gone a bit beyond that now, sweetheart."

"My golden couple!" The Racnoss hissed up at them, mocking them with a grin, "Together at last- with a friend as well! Your awful wedded life. Tell me; do you want me be released?"

"Yes!" All three of them yelled at her.

The Racnoss actually looked disappointed, "You're supposed to say "I do"."

"Ha, no chance!" Lance snorted.

"Say it!"

Lance looked at Donna reluctantly, "I do."

"I do." Donna rolled her eyes.

They both looked at Amy and she snorted, "I'm already married thank you very much."

"Well, I don't!" The Racnoss laughed at her own joke. Amy slumped in the web. She hated it when they thought they were funny. "Activate the particles. Purge every last one!"

Looking to her left she saw both Lance and Donna light up. Obviously he'd gotten a taste of his own medicine.

"And release!"

And then the golden light left their body and floated down into the hole.

"Ah, well see Donna." Amy nodded, "No more dangerously deadly particles."

"The secret heart unlocks!" The Empress spat, "And they will waken from their sleep of ages."

"Who will?" Donna demanded, "What's down there?"

"How thick are you?" Lance glared.

"My children!" The Racnoss responded, "The long lost Racnoss. Now will be born to feat on flesh."

"Oh boy..." Amy swallowed, looking down at the endless pit. She could already here the chirping of hundred of spiders climbing up the walls of the tunnel.

"The Web-star shall come to me.."

"Web star?" Amy frowned, then her face light up, "Oh, Wow, I remember this!"

"What?" Both Donna and lance looked over to her.

"Oh, um...from the future, didn't I mention?" She said to Donna, who shook her head, mouthing hanging open. "Right, sorry." Amy turned to the Racnoss, "And sorry, but I don't remember being devoured by giant spider creatures."

"Well, perhaps it's time for that to change!" She cackled. "My babies will be hungry. They need sustenance. Perish the web!"

Lance's eyes widened in horror and panic, "Use them! Not me! Use them!"

"Oh, my funny little Lance!" The Empress said with a mocking fondness, "But you are quite impolite to your lady friends. The Empress does not approve."

The web around Lance loosened. He tried to grab ahold of something, but there wasn't anything to grab.

"Lance!" Donna cried out in horror, as they watched him fall into the pit.

Amy swallowed, "Hell be dead before they eat him..." She whispered, like it made the situation any better.

"Harvest the humans!" The Empress cried, "Reduce them to meat!"

* * *

Above them in the city, the web start started to shoot bolt of lightning out into the streets. The people, who'd stopped to look at it in awe, all ran screaming as the star attacked them.

* * *

All around the robots came into the room, ascending the stairs and up into the railings.

"My children are climbing towards me and none shall stop them!" The Racnoss spoke loudly, "So you might as well unmask, my clever little doctor-man."

Amy spun to mask her neck cracked as she looked at the robots, one of which removed his mask and cloak to reveal the Doctor underneath.

"Oh well. Nice try." The Doctor nodded, before turning to Donna and Amy, "I've got you Donna."

He aimed the Sonic towards the web and Donna screeched, "I'm gonna fall!"

"You're gonna swing!"

And just as he said, the rope loosened except for a little bit wrapped around her arm. She swung forward, towards the Doctor screaming.

"I've got yah!" The Doctor promised, holding his arms out.

But instead, the web was a little long an she slammed into the railing, falling to the floor beneath him.

"...Oh...sorry." The Doctor said, sheepishly. He looked up at Amy, "You next."

"What?" Amy shook her head, "No, don-Agh!" She gasped as she swung. She was lucky and was a bit further away than Donna, so instead of slamming into the bars, she went under them, the web slicking on the sharp metal grate and she landed on the floor with an 'oof.'

"The doctor-man amuses me." The Racnoss cackled, not seeming to care that they had gotten free.

The Doctor turned to her, stiffing as he addressed her in his full Time Lord glory, "Empress of the Racnoss- I give you one last chance. I can find you a planet. I can find you a place in the universe to Coexist. Take that offer and end this now."

"These men are so funny."

"What's your answer?"

"'Oh- I'm afraid I have to decline." She sprayed at him, laughing again.

The Doctor looked on, his eyes not even dark anymore. They were just...empty.

Amy swallowed, she'd seen him like this before - just once. Where he's been so angry that all the emotion had left him, leaving an empty shell that was content to do the things he'd promised never to do. To kill.

"What happens next is your own doing." He promised.

"Doctor-" Amy warned, but Donna grabbed her arm, looking terrified.

"I'll show you what happens next." The Empress hissed, "at arms!"

The Robots raised their guns, some at the Doctor, some at Donna and amy.

"Take aim! And-"

"Relax."

The Robots all went limp at the Doctor's orders.

Donna gasped, "What did he do?" She asked Amy, not understanding.

"Guess what I've got, Donna?" The Doctor looked at them, pulling the remote control out from his coat, "Pockets."

"How did that fit in there?"

He shrugged, "They're bigger on the inside."

The Empress all but snarled, "Robo-forms are not necessary. My children may feat on Martian flesh."

The Doctor looked at her, that same ethereal emptiness in his eyes, "Oh, but I'm not from Mars."

"Then where?"

"My home planet is far away and long since gone. But its name lives on. Gallifrey."

And for the first time, Amy saw sure horror and fear enter the Racnoss's eyes. She hissed and spat at him in anger, "They murdered the Racnoss!"

"I warned you." He told her softly, "You did this."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of the christmas ornaments. Amy pulled Donna to the ground, covering her head as he tossed them. Some exploded against the Racnoss, making her jump back with a painful screech. Others hit the walls, ripping them open.

Amy gasped as freezing cold water splashed over her and Donna. She looked up, watching as more and more water filled the room, dousing them and spraying all over creating a horror story before their eyes.

"My children!" The Racnoss screamed in grief, looking at the hole where the water poured in, falling to the middle of the Earth.

Amy felt a wrench in her gut. The Empress needed to be stopped, but her children...they hadn't done anything. They were just there by circumstance, he hadn't even offered them the same chance as the Empress.

"Doctor!" Amy cried, but he couldn't hear her over the rushing water. Once she tripped and almost got swept away by the current, but Donna held her up.

"No!" The Racnoss cried in pain, hysterical, "My children! My children!"

Donna looked as horrified by the scene in front of her as Amy was. "Doctor! You can stop now!"

But still, either he didn't hear them, or he wasn't listening.

Amy looked up and saw the pain in his eyes, and wondered if this wasn't about the Racnoss. She'd read somewhere about the six stages of grief. One was anger, and he seemed to be feeling it now. The same way she'd lashed out at him before, now he was lashing out at the first thing he could.

"Doctor!" Amy screamed, and he looked down. The darkness in his eyes fading as he looked at them. They must've been a mess, Donna's eyes were full of terror, but not at the Racnoss, and Amy screaming at him.

"Come on!" He finally cried, breaking out of whatever spell he'd been under, "Time I got us out!"

Amy grabbed Donna and they climbed up the stairs, meeting the Doctor halfway up.

"Transport me!" The Racnoss cried, and behind them she vanished in a burst of light.

"Where'd she go?" Amy cried as they ran over down the halls.

"Back to her ship!" The Doctor stopped, pulling open the door and ushering them in. Amy quickly started to climb as fast as she could, not knowing how long they would have until the Thames started to fill it up. "She's used up all her Huon energy- she's defenceless!"

* * *

On the streets of London, the army had finally come in. Huge tanks rolled through the now empty street, aiming their canons up as they waited for orders.

The Commander popped his head out, holding his hand over a radio, "Order's from Mr. Saxon- fire at will!"

"Fire!" A solider yelled, and the tank fired at the now defenceless web-star, ripping it to pieces.

* * *

Amy pushed the door up, climbing up on top of the Thames Barrier. She stood up in the frigid December air, pulling her sweater off and wringing it out into...

Well into nothing. She gasped as she saw that the river was completely gone. She hadn't thought there had been that much water.

Donna and the Doctor laughed, gripping each other as they looked around, both giddy with laugher at the fact that they were alive.

"Just...there's one problem.." Donna gasped through her laugher.

"What's that?"

"We've drained the Thames.'

And then they were laughing again.

"How do you think U.N.I.T.'s gonna explain this one?" Amy said between her giggles.

The Doctor chuckled again, "Ah, that's their problem. I don't work with them anymore."

And that sent them into a third round of laugher, which lasted them until they got back to the TARDIS.

* * *

Amy stepped out of the TARDIS with Donna, looking down the road. They were in Chiswick now, outside of Donna's house.

"There we go." The Doctor nodded, looking pleased that he'd landed in the right spot, "Told you she'd be all right. She can survive anything."

"More than I've done." Donna grumbled.

The Doctor pulled out his sonic, scanning her, "Nope! All the Huon particles have gone. No damage, you're fine."

"Yeah, but apart from that..." Donna sighed, "I missed by wedding, lost my job, and became a widow on the same day. Sort of."

"I couldn't save him." The Doctor said sadly.

Donna steeled herself, "He deserved it." The Doctor raised an eyebrow at her and Donna's face softened, "No he didn't." She looked at the house, "I'd better get inside. They'll we worried."

"Best christmas present they could have." The Doctor whispered, looking at Donna's family, thinking of something else entirely. He blinked and turned back to them, "Oh, no, I forgot- you hate Christmas."

Donna nodded, "Yes, I do."

"Even if it snows?"

The Doctor hit a switch on the TARDIS and a ball of light flew into the air, exploding like a firework and suddenly there was snow falling all around them.

Amy leaned over, looking for the invisible switch, then up towards the sky.

Donna laughed, "I can't believe you did that!"

"Oh, basic atmosphere excitation." The Doctor shrugged like ti was nothing, but then he grinned at her, and she grinned back.

"Merry Christmas." Donna nodded.

"And you. So...what will you do with yourself now?"

"Not getting married for starters." Donna nodded, smiling to herself, "And I'm not gonna temp anymore. I dunno...travel...see a bit more of planet Earth...walk in the dust. Just...go out there and do something."

"Well you could always..." The Doctor trailed off, looking shocked that he was going to ask her, so soon after...

"What?" Donna asked him.

He cleared his throat, looking at her tentatively, "...Come with us."

Donna smiled, looking pleased at the offer, but shook her head, "No."

"Oaky." The Doctor said quickly, trying to keep the hurt out of his voice.

"I can't..."

"No, that's fine." The Doctor said with false indifference.

"No, but really..." Donna took in a shaky breath, "Everything we did today...do you live your life like that?" She sounded horrified.

"...Not all the time..." The Doctor defended unconvincingly.

"I think you do." Donna sighed, "And I couldn't."

"But you've seen it out there." The Doctor smiled, "It's beautiful."

"And it's terrible." Donna said softly, "That place was flooding and burning and they were dying and you just stood there like...I don't know...a stranger. And then you made it snow- I mean, you scare me to death!" She laughed, but there was no humor in it.

The Doctor looked down...his eyes wide in horror as his own actions came back to him. "Well then..."

"Tell you what I will do though..." Donna grinned at the two of them, "Christmas dinner." She saw the look on the Doctor's face, "Oh, come on!"

"I don't do that sort of thing." The Doctor said.

"You did it last year." Donna argued, :You said so. And you might as well because Mum always cooks enough for twenty."

The Doctor looked at Amy who subtly shook her head, soft enough that Donna couldn't see. He turned back to the ginger, "Oh, all right then. But you go first, better warn them. And...don't say I'm a Martian." He pointed to the TARDIS. "We just have to park her properly, she might drift off to the middle ages. We'll see you in a minute,"

The Doctor closed the door and started to take off.

"Doctor! Doctor!"

He winced and went back over to the door, opening it, "Blimey, you can shout."

"Am I ever gonna see you two again?"

"If we're lucky." He grinned.

"Just..." She smiled at him, "Promise me one thing; find someone."

"I don't need anyone." He said thickly, "I've got Amy."

"I don't think that's gonna be enough." Donna said, and Amy felt her heart crunch. She looked away and pretended she wasn't listening, "She yelled at you. Told you to stop, and you didn't listen to her."

"I-I didn't hear her." He whispered softly.

"She knew what you would do before you did." Donna whispered, "You just ignored her-"

"I-"

"I think you need someone to stop you." Donna whispered, "Someone you'll listen to."

"I listen to her." The Doctor defended, "I do, she's my friend. It's just..." He stopped, clearing his throat. "Thanks then, Donna- good luck- and just...be magnificent."

"I think I will, yeah...and say goodbye to Amy for me, will yah."

The Doctor nodded, and went back into the TARDIS, closing the door. He turned, seeing Amy standing there. For a few moments they both just stood there, looking everywhere but at each other.

The the Doctor moved past her and to the console.

"_Doctor?!_"

The Doctor sighed, walking back over to the door, "Oh, what is it now?"

"That friend of yours...what was her name?"

He froze, not saying anything before he stopped, clearing away the lump in his throat. "Her name was Rose."

And before he could close the door, Amy retreated down the hall towards her bedroom, not wanting to talk, or standing, or so anything other then collapse in her bed.

* * *

The man stood on the street, observing his chaotic surroundings with an eerie calm that the humans would have found strange, had they bothered to look at him for more than a fleeting second before continuing on their way.

He walked a bit down the street, the only sounds were the sirens in the distance and the crunch of the burning ornaments under his feet. It had been some sort of Earth celebration.

He stopped walking as he heard footsteps behind him. They were strong and with purpose, not like the panic scuffling of the humans around him. These knew what they were doing, and where they were going.

And they were heading straight for him.

He turned. Standing behind him was a human. He was leaning against a street pole, looking at his watch with an impatient frown.

He rolled his eyes, "Can I help you?"

The man jumped up, looking over at him, "Ah, yes right. Hello."

He stared at the human, unimpressed.

The man cleared his throat, then walked forward, "I represent Harold Saxon."

He rolled his eyes again, "That name means nothing to me." The suited man held out a business card. He grabbed it and read it before scoffing, "I care nothing for your Earth politics."

"I suppose you wouldn't, would you Mr. Carrick" The man frowned, pulling the card back and looking at it himself, as if displeased by it's design. "But you will."

He handed him the card again, and Carrick sighed, taking the card, and turning, awlking away, not interested in how this human knew his name. It was one of the side effects of time travel.

"I'd give him a call, if I were you?" The Man spoke. Carrick turned to look at the suited man once more, and he sucked in a breath through his teeth as a sharp fear pierced his heart. The man in the suit pushed his hair back, completely at ease as he smirked, "Harold Saxon can get you what you need."

He turned away from the suited man, then stopped, furrowing his eyebrow. He had been scared. But of what exactly?

"I'm not interested." Carrick said quickly, walking away as he took note of his surroundings, and started on his search, completely unaware of the message replaying through his brain over and over again.

'_Harold Saxon can get you what you need...'_

* * *

**A/N: What this? Plot? I wasn't going to post today, cause I haven't really written anything in the last week. I am trying, but I do work 6-7 days a week, and I'm very busy. Once school starts again it'll be much better.**

**I honestly don't have much to say right now. It hasn't been a very productive week. Has everyone checked out the two teasers for S8? There's not really any info, but they're really cool looking and I'm pumped for August 23rd.**

**Remember I'm trying for 1k reviews this story and I really think we can do it! So please review with any comments, concerns, or questions!**

**Until Next Time,**

**-Ash**


	5. Royal Hope Hospital

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who**_

* * *

**Chapter 5: Royal Hope Hospital**

_"Wine's horrid! I thought it'd taste more like the gums." - The Doctor_

* * *

Amy woke up after ten hours, feeling like she hadn't slept in ages. She dragged herself out of her bed, wincing as she looked at herself in the mirror.

Her hair was everywhere. Ratted and messed up. Her makeup had run down her face and her eyes were still red from the hours of crying she'd done last night.

It had been two weeks since Donna and they hadn't done anything but float through the vortex. The Doctor was still trying to get the TARDIS in working condition and had been working all through the nights.

She dragged herself into the bathroom, avoiding looked at her own face in the mirror and turned on the shower. She stripped her clothes and got under the scolding hot water, trying to work the stiffness out of her joints.

"Amy?"

She winced, hearing the Doctor's voice come through the bedroom. Her bathroom door was still open so she just sighed and called, "In here."

"Okay, oh-" He stopped, "Should I come back?"

"As long as you don't look I don't care." Amy said. The shower curtain was thick and opaque.

"Oh, okay." She heard him sit on the toilet seat, humming to himself under his breath.

Amy let the water pour over herself for a few minutes, waiting for the Doctor to speak. But he didn't, so she stuck her head out of the shower, looking at him.

Both his coat and his jacket where gone, making a lump rise in her throat. It was the same outfit she'd seen him in the first time she met him. But it fit him better and wasn't ripped to pieces.

After a few moments of silence she asked, "Are you gonna say something?"

He hummed, "Nope."

She frowned, giving him with a strange look, heading back into a shower. She washed her hair, sloping it with conditioners as she grimaced, not for the first time, at the size. She remembered her alternate self's short hair, and sighed. Maybe it was time for a haircut.

She wrapped her hair up on her head so it was out of the way and stuck her head out the curtain again.

The Doctor was still sitting there, humming under his breath, tapping his hands on his knee as he starred straight ahead.

"Doctor..." Amy frowned, looking at him up and down, "Are...are you drunk?"

"What?" He gave her a weird look, "No!"

She sniffed the air then gapped at him, "You are! I can smell it!"

"No, I'm not drunk." He rolled is eyes, "There was this thing-"

"A bar?"

"A bar-like thing, yes." The Doctor grumbled, "Look, I didn't get drunk I just..."

Amy sighed, rinsing out her hair, and turning the tap off, "Hand me a towel."

She heard a rustle and a few seconds later the Doctor's hand appeared in the shower with a towel, which she grabbed and wrapped around her body.

She stepped out of the towel and the Doctor stepped back, letting her grab another towel to wrap her hair in. She looked him over and got a better look.

His tie was loose around his neck and the first button undone. His sleeves were pulled up to his wrists. She could tell he's been drinking- his neck and face was red and blotchy and his eyes a bit unfocussed. But he wasn't drunk.

She went closer and saw a bruise and cut on his cheekbone.

"Have you been fighting?" She looked at him strangely.

"No!" He defended, "I'm abhor violence! But apparently they didn't..." He grumbled under his breath.

"What did you do?" Amy demanded taking a face cloth and wiping the remains of her makeup off her face.

"I went to a bar and drank." He groaned, "There I said it, don't yell at me."

"I'm not yelling at you." Amy said exasperated. It was like taking care of a two year old. She paused and then looked at him, "And after you finished drinking you decide to come look for me."

She lead him out into her room and he nodded, "Yeah."

She nodded, then gestured to her bed, "Well get some sleep. I'd help you find your room but...honestly I don't know where it is."

He collapsed face first into the bed and Amy yanked off his chucks and threw them on the ground. She didn't bother to move him, but quickly made work of getting dressed.

"Why'd you come here?" Amy asked him, pulling a shirt over her head.

"Mmm?" He grumbled, "You're all I got."

"Thanks." Amy snorted, but felt a warm glow. Maybe they could get over this tension. "Well goodnight."

"Where you going?" He mumbled, already half asleep.

"Doctor," Amy rolled her eyes, "I just woke up, I'm going to go watch a few movies and wait until you've sobered up.

"I'm sober." He muttered to himself, "Rocky road's in the freezer."

Amy felt a genuine smile cross her face for the first time. He knew her so well, almost as well as her Doctor had.

Well he should. She's been traveling with him for two years now.

Two years?

Blimey. She shook her head, turning off the night and closing the door. Standing in the hall. She'd been here for two years. That was just..

She shook her head, clearing her mind as she went into the kitchen to swallowing her sorrows a bit more before the Doctor woke up and she had to pretend to be okay.

* * *

"Ugh..." The Doctor stumbled into the Kitchen, "Coffee."

Amy let her glasses slid down her nose, looking up from the magazine she'd been reading. The Doctor's hair was stuck up, but to the side instead of the front, and the cut on his face was already a nasty purple. But looking closer Amy could see a sheen on it of some sort of cream that he'd applied.

"I thought you didn't like coffee?" Amy asked him.

"I don't." He sniffed the mug and made a face but sipped at it anyways. "What're you doing in here?"

"Ran out of movies to watch." Amy said, looking at the magazine, "Your collection is atrocious."

"Oh, yeah. I had to eject the movie room when I-" He stopped, clearing his throat. Amy knew what he'd meant. When he'd called through to Rose.

Amy nodded, then pulled up a piece of paper, handing it to him

"What's this?" He asked sipping at his coffee.

"Dunno." Amy shrugged, "It's in Gallifreyan. The TARDIS printed it off after beeping at me for an hour. Finally I threatened her with the mallet and she printed that off."

"Don't hit her with the mallet!" The Doctor scolded, looking down at the paper, sipping his coffee as he read.

Amy scoffed, "You do it all the time."

But he didn't respond, instead looking at the paper with a small frown on his face.

"Doctor?" She asked, "What is it?"

"Hmm?" He shook his head, "Oh- nothing." He mumbled to himself, "I'm just gonna go get...some milk..."

"Milk?" Amy raised an eyebrow at him, "Since when do you do the shopping?"

"I um-" He grabbed his coat, still not looking away from the piece of paper, "I don't mind. Stay here."

And then he ran out of the kitchen.

Amy turned the page of her magazine, reading the page carefully before she set it down, picked up her coat, and ran after him.

* * *

She got into the console room to find it empty.

"Oh, he did not!" Amy growled, running over to the door. She opened it, looking outside to find that they were in London. She frowned, wondering why they'd come back here so soon.

Running over to a bin, she found a newspaper and looked at the date. 2008.

She looked around, but the Doctor was long gone. She huffed and stormed back into the TARDIS.

"Where did he go?" She asked the TARDIS with crossed arms. A long string of beeps was all she got in return, "Oh, don't give me that, I know you know where he went. It has something to do with that paper."

The console whirled and another piece of paper popped out. Amy grabbed it and shook her head, "I can't read this. It's Gallifreyan."

The sound the TARDIS made could've been translated as 'Duh, I'm a Gallifreyan Ship'. Amy ignored it though.

"Look," Amy shook her head, "I don't need to know why he went there, I just need to know where he went."

There was a flash on the screen. Amy went over and saw an image pop up, what looked like a camera feed.

She read the sign on the door, "Royal Hope Hospital." She ran for the door, yelling a 'thanks' behind her as she did.

* * *

"Hello, how may I help you?" Asked the far too perky receptionist, as she grinned at Amy with a large fixed smile.

Amy fought the urge to roll her eyes, "Hi." She said with the same false chipperness, "I'm looking for my brother...John Smith? I got a phone call, he said he was in?"

"Hmmm. Yes." The Receptionist nodded, then handed Amy a piece of paper with the room number, "Elevator's that way."

"Cheers." Amy grumbled, before running over.

She quickly made her way through the halls. It had taken her far too long to find this place, and with no sonic or cash she'd had to walk. When she'd gotten there she'd been surprised to see the TARDIS waiting for her in front of the hospital. She'd grumbled at the machine as she'd walked past and made her way inside.

She pushed her way into a room which had a few patients inside, all obviously non-critical. She spotting the Doctor in one of the beds, eating some ice cream as he looked rather pleased with himself.

Amy came up and yanked the ice cream away, sitting in the chair next to him.

"Hey!" He whined.

She scooped some up and started to eat it, "What the hell are you doing?"

"You were supposed to wait in the TARDIS." He said defensively, crossing his arms.

"Uh huh." Amy nodded, "And since when do I 'wait in the TARDIS'?"

"It's probably nothing." He said, "Just some strange electrical reading's, I can deal with it myself."

"Right, that's why you left the TARDIS in a zombie state." She snorted before a look of realization came over her, "Hey, where were you last night?"

"At a bar." He grumbled, "I thought we went over this?"

"No," Amy shook her head, pointing the spoon at him, "You never go to bars."

"Well, maybe I do now!"

"No, you don't." Amy gapped at him, "You were investigating something, weren't you! You went out without me!"

"You were asleep." He defended.

Amy looked a bit hurt, "But you always wait. You have a time machine."

"Yeah, well..." He swallowed, "This time I didn't."

"This time..." Amy shook her head, "Have you been doing this every night?"

"...Maybe."

"You arse!" Amy smacked him on the arm, "I thought you were doing repairs, but all this time you've been going out without me. What the hell was your plan exactly? Never let me go anywhere again?"

"I didn't think you'd wanna go, alright?" The Doctor defended, "Now, stop hitting me!"

Amy glared, "Fine, but don't do it again. Why did you admit yourself anyway? Why not be a Doctor?'

He shrugged, "Free Ice Cream."

Amy chuckled despite herself, "You're such a child." She handed him back his ice cream. "How long is this gunna take?"

"Dunno." He mumbled, looking around, "I'm here for 'overnight observation'. Which means you'll have to leave once visiting hours are over."

"Nope." Amy grinned, "I told 'em I was your sister and.." She pulled out the spare psychic paper, "I have I.D."

"I've gotta get better at hiding that." The Doctor said pointedly.

* * *

Amy slept in the chair that night, waking up only when the Doctor came by the next morning.

"Now then, Mr Smith." The Doctor, the actual Doctor, not the idiot in the hospital bed, said, "A very good morning to you. How are you today?"

The Doctor was awake, looking like he'd been awake for hours, "Aw, not so bad, still a bit, you know. Blah."

The man nodded, then turned to a bunch of people in lab coats holding clipboard. Amy furrowed her eyebrows, was this a student hospital? Did the Doctor know about this?

"John Smith," The Doctor started, "Admitted yesterday with seer abdominal pains. And you are-?"

Amy blinked, then realized he was speaking to her. Since the Doctor had already spoken, she quickly threw on an English accent, "I'm his sister."

The man nodded, not questioning it any further. He turned to the group, "Jones, why don't you see what you can find? Amaze me."

A very pretty black woman, dressed smartly under her lab coat, walked up to the Doctor, talking her stethoscope off as she did. She looked at the Doctor with a small smile, her eyes confused, "That wasn't very clever, running around outside, was it?"

The Doctor looked over at Amy curiously, as if asking if she knew what he'd done this morning. She just shrugged at him, she'd been passed out, so if he'd left, she hadn't seen it.

"Sorry?" He turned back to the girl, Jones.

She frowned at him, "On Chancert Street this morning. You came up to me and took your tie off."

The Doctor looked at her, his mind going a million miles a minute, "Really? What did I do that for?"

"I don't know." Jones looked at him weird, "You just did."

"Not me." The Doctor shrugged, "I was here, in bed. Ask the nurses."

"Well, that's weird." Jones frowned, "Cause it looked like you. Have you got a brother."

Amy took a sip of water as the Doctor answered. "No, not anymore. Just me." Amy chocked on her water, causing everyone to look at her. 'Sorry' she mouthed to them, waving at them to continued. Now she just had to sit there and wonder if he'd been kidding or not.

The medical Doctor rolled his eyes, "As time passes and I grow ever more infirm and weary, Miss Jones."

"Sorry." Jones cleared her throat, grabbing her stethoscope, "Right."

Amy let a slow whine come out of her mouth as Jones put the buds in her ear and moved to press it to his chest. The Doctor looked at her out of the corner of his eyes and shook his head.

Amy leaned back, wondering what he was doing. Did this have something to do with whatever the intern had seen on the street this morning? Did he think she might know something about the strange electrical readings? But either way, what if she freaked out, she could get them locked up.

Jones pressed the stethoscope to his chest and listened, only to frown. she looked down puzzled, shifting the scope around this chest as she listened. Her eyes widened and she looked up at the Doctor. He winked at her and she gapped at him.

"I weep for further generations." The medical Doctor rolled his eyes at her, "Are you having trouble locating the heart, Miss Jones?"

Jones jumped back from the Doctor, "Um..." She shook her head, struggling to find something to say, "I don't know. Stomach cramps?"

"That is a symptom, not a diagnosis. And you rather failed basic techniques by not consulting first with the patient's chart." He moved to pick it up, but the metal at the top shocked him and he dropped it, yanking his hand away.

"That happened to me this morning." Jones said, and Amy raised her eyebrow. What _hadn't_ happened to this girl this morning?

"I had the same thing on the door handle." Another intern pointed out.

"And me, on the lift."

"That's only to be expected." The medical Doctor said, trying to sound smart, "There's a thunderstorm moving in and lighting is a form of static electricity, as was first proven by - anyone?"

How is that a medical question? Amy shook her head as the interns all blinked at him blankly.

"Benjamin Franklin." The Doctor piped up, unable to stop himself.

Dr. Stoker turned to look at him surprised, "Correct!"

The Doctor beamed, "My mate Ben, that was a day and a half. I got rope burns off that kite, and then I got soaked."

"_Shut up_." Amy coughed, making him look at her strangely.

"Quite..." Dr. Stoker gave him a wary glance

"...and then I got electrocuted." The Doctor finished, ignoring Amy's warnings. Amy rubbed her forehead.

"Moving on..." Dr. Stoker said, then moved aside speaking to a nurse, "I think perhaps a visit from psychiatric..."

Amy shook her head, waiting until the group was out of earshot, and crossed her arms leaning back and glaring at the Doctor.

"When you get locked up in a rubber room I'm not helping you."

* * *

"Okay." Amy stood up, walking over to the Doctor, who was getting antsy as he had been in bed far too long. "There's nothing happening here."

He pressed his sonic a few times, frowning, "It's not working. Someone must be using a hairdryer..."

"It's a hospital!" Amy snapped.

"People use hairdryers in hospitals." The Doctor defended, then sighed, "It's no use, I'll have to go out and investigate."

"You can't." Amy hissed, "You're on constant observation after you gave that psychologist a mental breakdown."

But the Doctor wasn't listening to her anymore. His eyes were fixed on the window, his eyes extremely serious as he studied it. Amy turned, not noticing anything wrong before she turned back.

"It's raining." She frowned, "It was clear skies a few minutes ago..."

"It's not just raining..." The Doctor pushed the blankets away, getting up in the striped Pajamas, "It's raining _up."_

Amy scoffed, but them got a better look out the window. She studied the rain and gasped.

"But...where's the water coming from?"

"It's a-"

But Amy never got to find out what it was, because suddenly the entire hospital shook so violently that she crashed to the floor, the Doctor along with her. She looked up just in time to see the machine that the Doctor had been hook up to start to fall.

She quickly rolled out of the way before it smashed into the ground right where's she'd been a second ago.

All around them was chaos, people screaming and ducking, equipment falling every which way. The Doctor pulled out his IV as quickly as he could manage without damaging himself, not wanting to risk it getting ripped out by the earthquake.

But a few moments later it had ended.

Amy peeked out between her arms, and then shakily got to her feet.

"Alright." She cleared her throat, "Maybe there_ is _something here."

"Told you so." He grinned, then pulled out his sonic, "Hey it's working again!"

But Amy was staring past him, and it was his turn to look around and looked shocked.

"We're on the moon." Amy said blankly, her brain still trying to make sense of what she was seeing.

"Hospital on the moon." The Doctor looked almost giddy, "Oh, this is gonna be good."

* * *

**AN: Sorry for the long wait guys. Im not abandoning this story or anything, but things have been insane this summer and a lot of personal stuff has come up in the last few weeks. On top of that I've had the worst writers block when It came to this story - I've been trying to work on some other things in the hope that it would kick the writers block but i'm guessing that I'll only be able to get back on track once I'm back at uni.**

**Sorry about the wait, but thank you to everyone who's reviewed for the last chapter. I love you all.**

**Review with any comments, concerns, or questions.**

**Until Next Time,**

**-Ash**


	6. Standing in the Earthlight

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who**_

* * *

**Chapter 6: Standing in the Earthlight**

_"We are in Space!" -Amy Pond_

* * *

"Alright, everyone back to bed, we've got an emergency, but we'll sort it all out."

Amy turned to see that the intern, Jones, had wandered into the room. Despite everything Amy couldn't help but feel impressed that the woman was keeping her head. She'd make a good Doctor - Rory was always talking about how some of the nurses and interns could have the best grades in the world, but if you couldn't keep your head in an emergency you were no good.

The Doctor barely glanced at Jones before pulling the curtains around his bed, getting changed.

"It's real." Jones gasped, looking outside, "It's really real." She paused, then reached for the window latch, "Hold on!"

"Don't!" Another female intern sobbed, obviously _not_ keeping her head, "We'll lose all the air!"

"But..." Jones shook her head, "They're not exactly air tight. If the air was going to get sucked out it would have happened straight away, but it didn't. So how come?"

"Very good point!" The Doctor pushed the curtains away, looking at Jones with a new interest. Amy raised an eyebrow at the blue suit he was wearing, and the red chucks. When had he gotten those? The Doctor looked pointedly at Jones, "Brilliant, in fact. What was your name?"

"Martha." Jones said hesitantly, looking at him suspiciously.

"And it was Jones, wasn't it?" He asked. Jones nodded, and he grinned, "Well, then Martha Jones, the question is, how are we still breathing?"

"Force field?" Amy whispered to him, but he quickly hushed her. Amy nodded, getting the point. He wanted to see if Jones could get it.

Obviously the Doctor was taking what Donna had said to heart. It gave Amy a pinch in her chest - because obviously it meant that he didn't think that she was enough either.

"We can't be!" The other intern wailed and Amy rolled her eyes and walked up to her.

"Alright." She said loudly, getting both her and Jones attention, "Look, you're an intern right?" She nodded, but her eyes kept flying over to the window, "No, don't look out there, look at me? Alright? Now I want you to go check on all the patients who have respiratory or heart conditions, got it?"

"W-Why?" She shuttered out, trying to regain her composure.

"Well." Amy shrugged, "You're hyperventilating, and you got normal lungs. Just think about people who haven't? And heart conditions-cause we on the moon, it's kind of a big shock."

The woman in front of her took a few more shaky breaths, then nodded, rushing out of the room.

"Well, now that she's out of the way." The Doctor said rudely, turning back to Jones, "Martha, what have we got? Is there a balcony on this floor, or a verandah, or...?"

"By the patients' lounge, yeah." She nodded

The Doctor grinned manically, "Fancy going out?"

"Okay..." Martha said with a shuddering smile.

The Doctor eyed her carefully, "We might die."

"We might not."

A slow calculating grin started to form on his face and he exchanged looks with Amy, giving her a raised eyebrow.

Amy shrugged. So far so good.

"Good..." He grinned at Jones, "C'mon"

And with that he grabbed Amy's hand and tugged her out into the hall, Jones following behind them.

* * *

The Doctor paused at the doors, giving Jones a wicked grin, before together they pushed them open and walked out onto the balcony.

"I'm glad we're in the hospital." Amy said, looking over the flat barren surface, "Moon-dust is impossible to get out of your hair."

Jones gave her a weird look, but apparently her strangeness threshold had already been reached, because she turned her attention to the air.

"We've got air! How does that work?"

"Just be glad it does." The Doctor replied.

Martha looked around in wonder, before her face fell, "I've got a party tonight. It's my brother's twenty-first. My mother's going to be really...really..." She took in a shaky breath, looking on the verge of a meltdown.

"You okay?" The Doctor asked, looking worried he had made the wrong choice.

"Yeah." She said quickly.

"Sure?"

"Yeah."

"Want to go back in?"

"No way!" Jones said vehemently, "I mean, we could die any minute, but all the same - it's beautiful."

The Doctor looked over at Amy as if to say, '_Told you so_'.

"I didn't say anything." Amy whispered back to him, and he just stuck his tongue out.

"What're you two whispering about?" Jones asked them suspiciously.

They both straightened like naughty school children, "Nothing." They spoke in unison.

Jones frowned, but looked back at the Earth, suspended in the blackness, "How many people want to go to the moon? And here we are!"

"Standing in the Earthlight."

Jones tilted her head, "What do you think happened?"

"Oh, nothing good." Amy shook her head.

The Doctor waved her down, which made her roll her eyes. He turned his attention to Jones, questioning, "What do _you_ think?"

"Extraterrestrial." She said without a beat, "It's gotta be. I don't know, a few years ago that would have sounded mad. But these day? That spaceship flying into Big Ben - Christmas - those Cybermen things. I had a cousin, Adeola. She worked at Canary Wharf. She never came home."

The Doctor winced visibly at that and Amy understood why. They'd seen her cousin - Addy. She'd looked just like her...

"I'm sorry." The Doctor said gently.

"Yeah..."

"We were there." The Doctor muttered, looking lost in his thoughts, "In the battle."

Jones nodded, and looked at them with a new determination, "I promise you Mr Smith, Miss Smith, we will find a way out. If we can travel to the moon, then we can travel back. There's got to be a way."

"It's not Smith." The Doctor corrected, "That's not my real name."

"Who are you, then?"

"I'm the Doctor."

Jones snorted, "Me too, if I can pass my exams. What is it, then, Doctor Smith?"

The Doctor looked amused at that, "Just the Doctor."

"Just go with it." Amy whispered to her, "I'm Amy, by the way, Amy Williams."

Jones nodded at her, but she still seemed hung up on the Doctor, "How do you mean, just the Doctor?"

"Just...the Doctor." He said, the pointed, "Do what Amy said, just go with it."

"Well, I won't." She said, straightening her back, "As far as I'm concerned, you've got to earn that title!"

"Well," He grinned at her, "I'd better make a start, then. Let's have a look."

He picked up a rock and tossed it, where it hit a shield which showed itself briefly before vanishing again.

"Just like Amy said." He nodded, "Some sort of force field keeping the air in."

Jones frowned, "If that's like a bubble sealing us in, that means this is the only air we've got. What happens when it runs out?"

"How many people in this hospital?" The Doctor asked casually.

Jones shook her head, "I don't know, a thousand?"

"One thousand people. Suffocating."

"Well, how long do we have?" Amy asked.

The Doctor looked at his watch, "Depends..."

Before he could finish something came into view overhead. Amy jumped, looking over to see tall, skyscraper like structures flying silently over the hospital. She'd seen them once before, when the Pandorica had opened.

She'd always found it weird to see spaceships in space. It's not like the movies with the whirling or roaring of an engine. It was completely silent, in a way that your brain determined wasn't possible.

The Doctor moved over to the edge of the balcony and they all watched as the ships landed on the moon's surface, making the thing dust go flying into the air. Slowly the doors opened and rows and rows of aliens started to file out, and towards the hospital.

"Aliens..." Jones gasped, "That's aliens. Real, proper aliens."

The Doctor however, looked less pleased. His eyes widened and he looked a bit worried for the first time since they'd gotten there.

"Judoon."

* * *

The Doctor, Amy, and Jones all crouched behind some plants of the mezzanine above the lobby of the hospital. People were huddled together in fear as the Judoon went around, scanning them with a blue light. So far they didn't seem to actually be hurting anyone - just marking their hands with a marker.

"Oh, look down there, you've got a little shop." The Doctor mumbled, "I like a little shop."

"Focus." Amy said, "Tell us about these Judoon."

"Galactic police." He said quickly, turning to Amy, "Actually surprised you've never run into them before."

"What with you always being on the wrong side of the law?" Amy joked.

"Ha ha." He said dryly, before turning back to Jones, "Well, police for hire. More like interplanetary thugs."

"And they brought us to the moon?" Jones asked.

"Neutral territory." The Doctor explained, "According to Galactic law, they've got no jurisdiction over the Earth, and they isolated us. That rain? Lightning? That was them, using an H20 scoop."

"What's that about 'Galactic law'." Jones frowned, "Where'd you get that from? If they're police, are we under arrest? Are we trespassing on the moon or something?"

"Doubt it." Amy mumbled, "Since _they're _the one's who brought us here. They're scanning people, probably looking for something that doesn't belong."

"Something non-human." The Doctor added, "Non-humans are surprisingly rare in Hospitals. Which is very bad news for me."

"Why?" Jones asked.

The Doctor and Amy both turned to her and gave her identical looks. Jones blinked at them for a few seconds before she scoffed.

"Oh, you're kidding me." The Doctor raised a single eyebrow at her, and she shook her head, "Don't be ridiculous." She looked at him more seriously, "Stop looking at me like that."

The Doctor grinned, then turned, "Come on, then."

Quickly they got up, keeping low as they walked away from the lobby.

* * *

Amy sat in the chair as the Doctor quickly worked at a computer, scanning with his sonic.

Jones ran into the room, looking a bit panicked, "They've reached third floor." She looked down at the sonic with a frown, "What's that thing?"

"Sonic screwdriver." He answered, not really paying attention.

Jones scoffed, "Well, if you're not going to answer Me properly!"

"No, really..."The Doctor looked at her innocently, "It is. It's a screwdriver, and it's sonic. Look." He held it up for her.

Jones blinked at it, then shook her head, "What else have you got? A laser spanner?"

"I did, but it was stolen by Emily Pankhust, cheeky woman." He suddenly growled and slammed his fist on the computer, "Oh, this computer! The Judoon must have locked it down. Judoon platoon upon the moon." He ran his hands through his hair, turning to Jones, "Cause I was just traveling past, I swear, I was just wandering, I wasn't looking for trouble, honestly, but I noticed these plasma coils around the hospital, and that lightning, that's plasma coils, been building up for two days now, so I checked in, I thought something was going on inside, then Amy decided to tag along, and it turns out the plasma coils were the Judoon up there."

Jones looked like she'd barely kept up with his rambling, "But what were they looking for?"

"Something that looks human, but isn't."

Amy snorted, and Jones picked up on it as well, "Like you, apparently."

"Like me, but not me." The Doctor corrected.

"Haven't they got a photo?"

"Might be a shape-changer."

"Whatever it is, can't you just leave the Judoon to find it?" Jones asked.

The Doctor winced, "If they declare the hospital guilty of harboring a fugitive, they'll sentence to execution."

"But they don't know." Amy defended, "How can they sentence them to death?"

"Well..." The Doctor winced, "They're mercenaries."

"All of us?" Jones asked.

"Oh yes." The Doctor nodded, "If I can find this thing first...Oh! Just that they're thick!" The Doctor shouted again, slamming the computer.

"Believe it or not, that doesn't actually work." Amy told him.

"Judoon are thick!" He turned to address her specifically like she hadn't heard him the first time, "They are completely thick! They wiped the records. Oh, that's clever."

"What are we looking for?" Jones asked.

The Doctor turned to her, finally realizing she might have seen what they were looking for, "I don't know. Any patients admitted in the past week with unusual symptoms. Maybe there's a back-up."

"Just keep working." Jones nodded, "I'll go ask Mr. Stoker, he might know." And she ran out of the room.

The Doctor hummed to himself in aggravation as he worked.

Amy sighed, sitting in a chair on the other side of the desk, "So, what's with Jones?"

"Martha?" The Doctor asked, not taking his eyes away from the computer, "She's good, Not completely useless."

"Oh, bet she'd love that." Amy snorted. She paused and embraced the next subject a bit more delicately, "Are you...are you thinking about, you know..."

"Amy..." The Doctor sighed, "I'm trying to work."

"Right." She gave him a thumbs up, then leaned back in the chair awkwardly. She felt rather useless since this whole thing started, which is the opposite of what she needed. She needed to prove that she _wasn't _useless. That he didn't have to leave her behind in the TARDIS anymore.

"Ah-ha!" The Doctor grinned, his fingers moving against the keyboard as he occasionally soniced it, "Got it!"

He shot up from the desk and Amy ran up and quickly caught up as they ran down the halls.

They met up with Jones half way through, both of them breathing heavily.

"I've restored the back-up!" The Doctor told her excitedly.

Jones shook her head, "I found her."

"You what?" The Doctor furrowed his eyebrows, looking put out that she'd figured it out before him. Then he looked behind her and his eyes widened. Two men in what looked like motorbike helmets, and head to toe leather were coming down the hall. "Run!"

He grabbed Jones' hand and dragged her down the hall, Amy chasing after them.

The Doctor rushed a door open and into the stairwell, dragging them inside as they ran down the stairs. The Leather men were behind them, chasing after them. The Doctor stopped suddenly when they saw the Judoon marching up the stairs.

"This way!" Amy grabbed the Doctor's tie yanking him through a door onto the fourth floor. He yelped, and quickly slapped her hand away as he followed her, dragging Jones behind him.

The Leather men were still hot on their tails, but the Judoon either hadn't noticed them or were taking their time.

The Doctor spotted a door and quickly ushered them inside, slamming the door and locking them inside.

They ran to the other side of the room, behind some protective glass.

"Oh, dead end!" Amy snapped, "Good job."

The Doctor moved to a machine in the middle of the room, "When I saw 'now', press the button."

Jones gapped at him, "I don't know which one!"

"Find out!"

Amy looked around, spotting a rather large book by the machine. She grabbed it and opened it, both her and Jones flipping through the pages for anything that might help.

In the other room the slab was pushing against the door. A few seconds later the door finally gave way and the leather man walked into the room, right where the Doctor was pointing the machine at him.

"Now!"

Amy and Jones looked at each other in horror, before Jones closed her eyes and slammed the largest button on the machine.

Amy watched as the leather man flashed and jerked around, spazzing slightly before it fell to the ground.

"What did you do?" Jones gasped.

The Doctor was breathing heavily, looking relieved that that had actually worked, "Increased the radiation by five thousand percent. Killed him dead."

"Isn't that likely to kill you?" Jones frowned.

The Doctor shrugged, "Nah, it's only radiation. We used to play with roentgen bricks in the nursery. It's safe for you two to come out, I've absorbed it all. All I need to do is expel it."

Amy and Jones could only watch as he started to hop from foot to foot, shaking his head every now and again and he coughed lightly.

"Doctor..." Amy furrowed her eyebrows at him, "What the hell are you doing?"

"If I concentrate I can shake the radiation out of my and into one spot." He jumped, "It's in my left shoe." He shook his foot, hopping in place, "Here we go, here we go, easy does it..." He started to shake his foot madly, coughing lightly as he concentrated, "Out, out, out, out, out, out, out, ah, ah, ah, ah. It is, it is, it is, it is, it is, it is hot. Ah- hold on!"

He ripped his red chuck on his left foot and immediately threw it into a dustbin, breathing deeply and looking extremely pleased with himself.

Jones shook her head, "You're completely mad."

"You can say that again." Amy agreed, "What on Earth was that about?"

"Right" He nodded at both of them, "I look daft with one shoe." He grabbed the other one and chucked it in the bin. Amy looked down as his wiggled his toes, "Barefoot on the moon!" He snapped his teeth together, looking pleased with himself.

Amy shook her head, not about to try and understand the Doctor's way. She looked down at the leather man, "What's with the BDSM crew?"

"And where's it from?" Jones added, "The planet Zorvirax?"

"Ha!" Amy snorted, and Jones grinned looking pleased that she'd made Amy laugh.

The Doctor barely spared it a glance, "It's just a Slab. they're called 'Slabs'. Basic slave drones, see?" He poked it, "Solid leather all the way though. Someone has got one hell of a fetish."

"It came with that woman, Mrs. Finnegan." Jones said quickly, "It as working for her. Just like a servant."

"Well then." Amy nodded, "I'd say Mrs. Finnegan was our alien."

The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver, then frowned, looking at it mournfully, "My Sonic screwdriver..."

"She was one of the patients." Jones continued "But-"

"My sonic screwdriver!"

"She had a straw like some kind of vampire."

"I loved my sonic screwdriver!"

"Doctor!" Jones snapped suddenly.

"Sorry." The Doctor said, tossing the screwdriver over his head like it was nothing. He grinned at Jones, "You called me 'Doctor'."

"Well she couldn't very well call you 'That weirdo', which is probably what's going through her mind." Amy defended her.

"Anyway!" Jones interrupted them, "Mrs. Finnegan is the alien. She was drinking Mr. Stoker's blood."

"Funny time to take a snack." The Doctor grumbled, thinking hard, "You'd think she'd be hiding. Unless- no. Yes! That's it, wait a minute...Yes! Shape-changer. Internal shape-changer. She wasn't drinking blood, she was assimilating it!"

"And that means...?" Amy frowned.

"She's more than just a shape-changer, she can actually imitate other species." The Doctor said quickly, "If she can assimilate Mr. Stoker's blood mimic the morphology, she can register as human. We've got to find her and show the Judoon, come on!"

* * *

They ran down the corridor until they came face to face with another slab, making them quickly hide behind a water cooler.

"That's the thing about slabs." The Doctor frowned, "They always travel in pairs."

"Like you, then." Jones said without thinking.

"What?" The Doctor frowned.

"You and Amy?" Jones nodded at the both of them, "She's like your...partner?"

The way she emphasized partner made Amy immediately shake her head, "No no, we're not like that."

"You sure?" Jones asked as they walked down the hall, "You sure talk like it."

"Trust me. Plus I'm not an alien."

"You sure?" Jones said again, looking her up and down. Amy wasn't sure if she should be insulted or not.

But she didn't have tome to think about it, as she walked around the corner and came face first into one of the Judoon's scanners.

"Human." The Judoon spoke, and Amy nudged at the Doctor to run, but then the scanner beeped again, "Identified as 'Amelia Jessica Williams', Status: Wanted, Crimes: Confidential."

"What?!" Amy and the Doctor shouted in unison, before Amy went on, "Crimes? As in more than one?"

"Never mind that!" The Doctor grabbed her wrist, "And again!'

And they were running.

* * *

**A/N: More plot? Is it possible? Sorry for the wait again. Im finally at uni and class has started so I finally have time to do some writing, which is very exciting.**

**I don't have a whole lot to say here. I'm super sick and my brain isn't working very well. I'm not gonna talk about the new episodes because of spoiler reasons, but you can all check out my dw tumblr, and I am also making review videos on youtube if you want to hear my opinions of the new series and the New Doctor.**

**I'm literally 2 reviews away from the first 100! Remember I wanna try and hit 1k this story, which would just be insane. But then again the turn out for these stories has been just insane as well. So drop me a review with any comments, concerns, or questions. I love hearing from you guys!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Ash**


	7. Carrick

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who**_

* * *

**Chapter 7: Carrick**

_"Well aren't you lucky I came along. More lucky than you know. Less of a young professional. More of an ancient amateur. But frankly I'm an absolute dream." - The Doctor_

* * *

"Human Suspect escaped. Continue search for alien suspect." The Judoon leader spoke, ordering his crew. He opened a communicator device, "Sho! Ro! Fo! Dho! Mo! Bo! Go! Fro!"

The communicator fizzled until a familiar face appeared on the screen, looking annoyed.

"Judoon?" The man frowned, "What the hell do you want?"

"Kho! No! Do! Cro!"

The Man's annoyance turned into a smirk, "You don't say? I'm on my way."

The Judoon closed the communicator, and continued to catalogue the humans.

* * *

They ran down the corridor, ducking down as the Judoon shot red laser bolts over their heads. Quickly the Doctor pulled them back into the staircase, where they ran up into another room, the Doctor quickly stopped to lock the door.

People where all collapsed against the ground, gasping for air. Amy frowned, not even realizing that the air had been getting thin. It must be the adrenaline.

"They've done this floor." The Doctor said quickly, looking at the 'X' marks on the back of the hands, "Come on. The Judoon are logical and just a little bit thick. They won't go back to check a floor they've checked already. If we're lucky."

"Doctor." Amy grabbed his arm, stopping him. "What the hell was that about?"

Jones ran over to the female intern that Amy had sent away earlier, asking her about the oxygen.

The Doctor shrugged, "Who knows. Obviously somebody somewhere has issued a warrant for you."

"Yeah, but...'Confidential'?" Amy said with raised eyebrow "What was that about?"

"Yeah..." The Doctor frowned, "I was wondering about that myself." He leaned down next to Jones, "How are you feeling? Are you all right?"

"I'm running on adrenaline." Jones said, and Amy nodded agreeing with her.

"Welcome to our world." The Doctor mumbled.

Jones looked back, "What about the Judoon?"

"Ah, great lung reserves." The Doctor told them, "It won't slow them down. Where's Mr Stoker's office?"

"It's this way."

* * *

They quickly went into Mr. Stoker's office and Jones gasped.

"She's gone! She was here!"

"Well, she wasn't gonna stick around." Amy scolded, "She can pass as human now, she's probably somewhere in the halls with everybody else."

"Drained him dry." The Doctor said, looking at the withered cusp that used to be Dr. Stoker. Amy remembered the man from earlier and felt a bit sick. "Every last drop. I was right. She's a plasmavore."

"Not just blood from the looks of it." Amy pointed out, "But everything - reminds me of the Saturnynes." The Doctor hummed in agreement.

Jones frowned, "What was she doing on Earth?"

"Hiding." The Doctor answered quickly, "On the run. Like Ronald Biggs in Rio de Janeiro. What's she doing now? She's still not safe. The Judoon could execute us all. Come on!"

"Wait a minute!" Jones cried. The Doctor frowned at her confused. They both watched as she walked over to Dr. Stoker and closed his eyes. Amy and the Doctor looked at each other, both ashamed that they'd been so caught up that they hadn't thought about that.

They ran back out into the corridor and the Doctor looked around madly, "Think, think, think. If I was a plasmavore surrounded by police, what would I do." He paused looking at a sign on the wall.

Amy followed his gaze, "MRI?"

"She's as clever as me." The Doctor said, before tilting his head, "Almost."

"Find the non-human." The Judoon yelled from nearby, "Execute."

The Doctor winced, "Stay here. I need time. You're going to have to hold them up."

"How am I supposed to do that?" Amy glared, "I'm wanted!"

"We'll need to confuse the sensors," he mumbled to himself, before looking down at them, "Martha, forgive me for this. It's to save a thousand lives, it means nothing. Honestly nothing."

And Amy could only gasp as the Doctor grabbed Martha's face and planted a kiss on her.

"Wha-?" But before Amy could do anything the Doctor had grabbed her face and pressed his lips to hers.

She pulled away and slapped him across the face.

He grimaced, shaking out his face, "I deserved that. Sorry."

And then he was running off.

Amy turned to Jones, about to see if she looked as creeped out as she felt. But instead she saw a dreamy look on her FACE.

"That was nothing?"

"Oh, great." Amy rolled her eyes, turning to see the Judoon coming. She got the idea of what the Doctor's plan was, she just hoped that it worked.

They approached Martha first, and she stood tall, only her hands shaking slightly, "Now listen. I know who you're looking for. She's this woman. She calls herself Florence."

The Judoon ignored her, scanning her with the scanner, "Human. With Non-human traits suspected. Non-Human element confirmed. Authorize full scan. What are you? What are you?"

Another Judoon came over to Amy and scanned her.

"Human with Non-Human traits." He paused, looking at the scan, "Non-Human traits ignored. Human identified as ''Amelia Jessica Williams'"

Amy cursed under her breath, and before they could do anything she started to run down the halls, trying to avoid the Judoon coming after her.

"Amy!" She heard Jones calling after her, but she ignored her. She was human, they'd just mark her arm and let her go. Hopefully then they'll chase after her instead of going after the Doctor.

* * *

The Doctor looked at the MRI machine watching as Mrs. Finnegan fussed with it, and hurriedly kept up with his human charade.

"That thing, that big machine thing." The Doctor made of show of gulping, "Is it supposed to be making that noise?"

"You wouldn't understand." The Plasmavore snapped at him.

"Isn't that a magnetic resonance imaging thing?" He stuttered out, "Like a ginormous sort of magnet? I did magnets at GCSE. Well, I failed, but all the same."

The alien sneered at him, "The Magnetic setting is now set to 50,000 Tesla."

The Doctor's stomach dropped, "Ooh. That's a bit strong, isn't it?"

She smirked, "I can send out a magnetic pulse that will fry the brain-stems of every living thing within 250,000 miles. Except me, safe in this room."

"But...hold on, hold on." He put on a thinking face, "I did geography for GCSE, I did pass that one, doesn't that distance include Earth?"

"Only the side facing the moon." Mrs. Finnegan waved off, "The other half with survive. Call it my little gift."

"I'm sorry, you'll have to forgive me, I'm a little out of my depth. I've spent the past fifteen years working as a postman, hence the bunions - why would you do that?"

"With everyone dead, the Judoon ships will be mine, to make my escape."

"Now, that's weird. You're talking like you're some sort of alien."

"Right-o." Florence winked.

The Doctor looked at her in mock surprise, "No!"

"Oh, yes."

"You're joshing me!"

"I am not."

"I'm talking to an alien? In hospital? What, has the place got an ET department?"

"It's the perfect hiding place. Blood banks downstairs for a midnight feast, and all this equipment I'm ready to arm myself with should the police come looking."

"So, this rhinos, they're looking for you?"

"Yes." She nodded, "But I'm hidden."

The Doctor winced. One one hand she was giving him everything, but on the other hand she wasn't giving him much options for what to do next.

"Oh. Right!" He nodded, "Maybe that's why they're increasing their scans."

"They're what?!" She asked in shock.

The Doctor nodded, then pointed out the door, "Big chief rhino boy, he said, no sign of a non-human, we must increase our scans...up to setting two?"

She scowled, hissing, "Then I must assimilate again."

"What does that mean?"

"I must appear to be human."

The Doctor swallowed, there wasn't really anything for it. She wouldn't be able to tell the difference between his blood and human. He swallowed nervously. Amy would be fine without him - she can move on here, start a life, he couldn't help her anymore. Now that Rory was gone...

"Well, you're welcome to come home and meet the wife." He said cheerfully, "She'd be honored. We can have cake."

"Why should I have cake?" Florence said sinisterly, "I've got my little straw." She waved it around.

"That's nice." The Doctor said, "Milkshakes? I like banana!"

She grinned at him, "You're quite the funny man. And yet, I think, laughing on purpose at the darkness. I think it's time you found some peace. Steady him!"

"What are you doing?" The Doctor pretended to be confused as the two slabs grabbed his arms and steadied him, forcing him to stay put.

The alien approached him, holding the straw up as the slabs exposed his neck, "I'm afraid this is going to hurt." She cooed, "But if it's any consolation, the dead don't tend to remember."

* * *

Amy ran onto the second floor. People were collapsed on the floor, some already unconscious. Amy turned and sighed in relief when she saw that she had lost the Judoon.

Immediately she pushed past the people, heading down the floor. She wasn't entirely sure where she was.

She moved around the corner, checking to make sure there was nothing there. She sighed, good. Now she just had to not die before the Doctor figured out what the hell was going on.

She felt something hard and metal press into the back of her head and she stiffened.

"A gun?" She asked.

"Yup." The voice behind her spoke. It sounded odd and when she turned she saw that he was wearing a respirator that covered only his nose and mouth.

She studied him. He looked human, but he obviously wasn't from earth. His face looked normal, but his cheek bones stuck out just a little bit too far, and his eyes were black all the way around, with no whites. Other than that his skin was pale and a mess of dark hair flopped down in front of his eyes, probably to hide his non-human features. His clothes were thick material and black, and covered with gadgets that were definitely not 21s century.

"Hello?" Amy frowned, raising her hands up and swallowing, keeping her eyes on the gun "Have we met?"

"Not face to face." He smirked, "But I've heard a lot about you. Honored."

"Uh huh." Amy nodded nervously, "And you are...?"

"Carrick." He said with a small tilt of the head.

"Never heard of you." Amy responded quickly, with a smirk of her own.

"Didn't think so." He chuckled, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a thick pair of handcuffs. "Sorry, but you're gonna have to come with me."

"Right..." Amy nodded, scooting slightly to the left, "You see...the thing is..." Instantly she kicked the gun out of his hand, and dropped, twirling and knocked his feet out from under him.

Then she turned and ran.

But she didn't get very far. Carrick shot out his foot and Amy fell to the ground, gasping. Immediately she turned towards him, and saw him on the ground, his hand wrapped around her ankle.

Amy growled kicking his foot, trying to dislodge him, but his grip was tight.

"Oh, look." Amy held up both of her hands, "How about a compromise?"

"Alright." He nodded, whipping out his gun and pointing it at her, "Come with me, and I won't stun you?"

It's just a stun gun? Amy felt a bit of relief at that. If it was just a stun, then that means that, for whatever reason he wanted her, he wanted her alive. She looked at it pointing at her and sighed.

"Well I was thinking more along the lines of, you let me go."

"How is that a compromise?" Carrick looked at her in actual confusion.

Amy rolled her eyes, "It's not."

And with that she used her other foot to kick him in the face. He let go out of, but in the process, the gun went off in his hand. Amy yelped and rolled away. The blue bolt shot right past her, hitting a nurse who gasped and fell to the ground. Amy stumbled to her feet and ran down the hall, not seeing if Carrick was following her.

She threw open the doors, wandering into the stairwell, and she could heard the sounds of his footsteps on the stairs as she climbed.

"Amelia!" He growled, "Let's not be difficult!"

"I thought you said you'd heard a lot about me!" She shouted back as she ran. But it was getting harder and harder. The air was thin, and getting thinner. She gasped for breath and was already starting to feel light headed. "I'm always difficult."

"I'll put that in my notes." She heard him grumble and she actually felt a grin spread over her face.

She rushed even higher, until she ran out of stairs, pushing out until she found herself on the roof.

"Great." She grumbled, turning around.

He stood at the door, pointing the stunner at her, "Didn't think that one through, did you?"

"Yeah..." Amy tried to buy some time, "So quick to shoot, don't you wanna buy me dinner first?" She said with raised eyebrow.

He rolled his eyes, "Look, you're running out of time. The air is low, so you can either come with me now, or I can wait until you fall unconscious and take you then?"

"Kinky." Amy smirked.

"Look, Pond-"

"Maybe..." Amy interrupted, "I'd be more willing to go with you if I actually knew what I was being arrested for?"

"Sorry, confidential." He raised an eyebrow at her mockingly.

Amy gapped at him, "I'm the one who supposedly did the crime! Unless..." Both of her eyebrows shot up and she laughed, "You don't know, do you?"

"I don't need to know." He scoffed, "I just do my job."

Amy nodded, but the lack of air was starting to get to her, and black was forming around the edge of her vision. It felt like the entire roof was shaking.

With the last of her strength, Amy ran.

She ran down across the roof, looking for another opening. She could heard her heart pounding in her ears and she pushed a door open running down the stairs.

What floor had the Doctor been on again? And Jones?"

She pushed open a door, and ran down the halls, trying to avoid the humans all around. Looking around she couldn't find any sign of the Judoon, and for a moment she wondered if they had left.

She didn't know if Carrick was following her, she didn't have time to look. Her vision blurred and she stumbled into the wall, struggling to keep upright. She saw the MRI sign on the wall and let out a sigh of relief.

"Amy?"

Amy turned to see the Doctor carrying Jones who had already succumbed to the lack of air. He looked like crap himself, his hair ruffled and his skin pale with thick dark circles under his eyes.

"Carrick." She mumbled under her breath, but at the sight of the Doctor she felt an overwhelming sense of safety, and with that she allowed herself to collapse to the ground, unconscious.

"It's raining Martha, Amy..." She heard him speak, but it sounded a hundred miles away, "It's raining on the moon..."

* * *

Carrick growled as he watched the Judoon ships vanish and the tell-tale view of the upwards rain as the H2O scoop prepared to send them back to earth. With a flash the dry barren landscape changed and turned into a view of 21st century London.

He hissed under his breath. He could already see the Earth police entering the building. A large crowd had gathered around, no doubt all confused about the vanishing hospital.

"_Carrick_."

He growled, and lifted his communicator, "What?"

The woman on the other end didn't looked amused, "_Have you obtained your target_?"

He looked around. He had no clue where'd she run off to. Honestly he doubted she'd gotten very far before the lack of oxygen would have gotten to her. But now that they were back on Earth and the air was rushing in...she could be anywhere.

He pulled his respirator off, aggravated, "No."

"_Carrick, may I remind you_-"

"You don't have to remind me of anything!" He snapped, having very little patience with her.

"_Just get her, Carrick_!"

He growled, running his hand over his face, "Maybe...if you told me why I was going after her-"

_"Asking questions is not your job._" The Woman snapped at him, "_Your job is to do as your told._"

He flinched as he raised his hand to rub his neck in discomfort, "Understood." He said through clenched teeth.

The woman disconnected the communicator before he could say anymore.

* * *

"Ugh." Amy groaned as she came to, "My head..."

"Yeah, don't worry that'll be gone by the end of the day." The Doctor said.

Amy looked around and realized she was in the TARDIS. She blinked, looking around. "What happened?"

"Oh you know, the usual. Aliens, danger, me being a bit clever, saving the day." He grinned at her widely. He paused, and turned to look at her in confusion, "By the way, what exactly is a 'Carrick'."

"Carrick?" Amy frowned, "Is a guy. Who is he, I haven't the foggiest, but he tried to...arrest me or something."

"Really?" The Doctor rubbed his face, "The Judoon must've called him. Didn't get another name did you?"

Amy shook her head, "He just said Carrick." She looked at the Doctor, "Do you know why I'm wanted?"

"No clue." The Doctor shrugged like it was nothing, "Did he mention who sent him?"

"No." Amy shook her head, "He had weird eyes though, all black."

"Hmm." The Doctor shook his head, "There's a lot of aliens who that could be." He frowned, before shaking his head, "No idea though. I wouldn't worry about it. I'm wanted on 927 planets myself, and I never let it get me down."

Amy nodded, then rubbed her eyes, "What happened to Jones?"

"Jones?" He frowned, before he nodded in realization, "Oh, Martha. She's with the ambulance. Fine, bit of oxygen starvation, same as you."

"Oh." Amy blinked, stumbling to her feet,

The Doctor sighed, "What?" He asked, aggravated.

Amy frowned, "I didn't say anything."

"I can't take her with me alright!" He argued, like she'd actually asked him too. "I don't need anyone!"

Amy nodded, looking at him strangely, "Alright..."

"And besides, she's got that party tonight, brother's birthday. That's important!."

"Okay."

"Amy! Don't argue with me about this."

She rolled her eyes, "I'm not!"

"Although I suppose..." He stopped tapping his chin, "Maybe if I went after the party...yes, and only one trip. I mean, she was rather brilliant."

Amy sighed, sitting down in the captain's chair, "Yes, she was."

"You don't mind, do you?" He asked, as he fiddled with the devices, looking a bit awkward.

Amy sent him a strange look, "Why would I care? But you're right. They said it was a gas leak, everyone imagined it. Maybe she deserves to know she didn't make it all up." That was something that Amy could personally relate with.

He grinned at her, "Exactly!"

"Wow." Amy winced as she heard the yelling come from outside pub, "Sounds like a hell of a party."

"Make a fool out of yourself! God knows, you've been doing it for the last twenty-five years! Why stop now!"

"Mum, don't! I asked the DJ and he's playing that song later-"

Jones was standing behind the group, rubbing her forehead with a small frown on her face. Amy couldn't help but think that this was probably a common occurrence for her.

The Doctor stood at the entrance to the alleyway which was dark and full of garbage bins, with posters up all over the brick, the largest being the 'Vote: Saxon' posters which Amy could remember from when she was younger.

Martha spotted them and her eyes brightened. The Doctor winked at her, then moved back into the alley. Amy could hear Jones following them, and when they turned back she was walking down the alleyway towards them, hesitantly.

"I went to the moon today." She started, saying it as statement rather than a question. Obviously she hadn't believed the press' story.

The Doctor nodded, "A bit more peaceful down here." He muttered sarcastically, referring to her family. Amy elbowed him, letting him know he was being rude.

Jones frowned, "You never even told me who you are."

"I'm the Doctor." He grinned, "This is Amy."

"What sort of species?" Jones started, her eyes wide, "I mean, I know that Amy's human, but...It's not every day I get to ask that."

The Doctor hesitated, looking at her carefully, "I'm a Time Lord."

"Right! Not pompous at all, then."

Amy snorted at that and the Doctor sent her a look. She shrugged, "What! It's sort of a pompous title. I mean, who actually goes out and calls themselves 'Time Lords'?"

The Doctor scoffed, but ignored it, turning back to Jones, "I just though since you saved my life and I've got a brand new sonic screwdriver which needs road testing, you might fancy a trip." He waved his sonic at her, then back towards the TARDIS.

"Why did she need to save your life?" Amy whispered.

He ignored her, and instead looked at Jones with an expecting looks.

Jones gapped at them, looking between Amy and the Doctor as if they were pulling her leg, "What, into space?"

"Well..."

Jones shook her head sadly, "I can't. I've got exams. I've got things to do. I have to go into town first thing and pay the rent, I've got my family going mad..."

The Doctor wrinkled his nose at the mention of domestics, "If it helps, I can travel in time, as well."

Jones scoffed, "Get out of here."

"I can!" The Doctor defended.

"Come on now," Jones shook her head, "That's going too far."

"I'll prove it!" He promised, and then he went into the TARDIS and it started to materialize.

Amy watched as the ship vanished, standing beside Jones who was gapping at the spot where the ship had been. Very calmly, she looked over at Jones, "If he comes back in twelve years, I'm gonna kill him."

"Could that happen?" Jones asked, looking a bit put out.

"Wouldn't be the first time." Amy grumbled

But Jones was saved from answering as the familiar sound of the TARDIS came back into view. The Doctor opened the door and popped out, holding his tie in his hand.

"Told you!" He grinned.

Jones looked confused for a second, but then her eyes went wide, "I know, but...that was this morning! But-did you..." She looked over at Amy, and she grinned. The look on Jones' face was hilarious, no wonder the Doctor liked doing this, "Oh, my God! You can travel in time!"

The Doctor pulled the tie back over his head, looking beyond amused.

"But hold on." Jones frowned "If you could see me this morning, why didn't you tell me not to go into work?"

"Crossing into established events is strictly forbidden." He said seriously, before smirking, "Except for cheap tricks."

"Plus, you did save his life." Amy pointed out, "And if you hadn't gone to work...he would have died."

"And therefore, would never have been able to tell you not to go into work. Which creates a paradox, which is why crossing into established events is strictly forbidden." The Doctor finished, looking at Amy exasperated.

Jones blinked like she had no idea what they were talking about, "And that's your spaceship." She pointed to the TARDIS skeptically.

"It's called the TARDIS." The Doctor said proudly, "Time and Relative Dimension in Space."

"Your spaceships made of wood." Jones pointed out and Amy grinned, remembering when she'd asked her Doctor how the air stayed in since it was made of wood. "There's not much room. We'd be a bit intimate." Jones raised an eyebrow.

The Doctor pushed the door open, a smirk on his face, "Take a look."

Jones hesitantly walked into the TARDIS, stopping in the entrances as she looked around. Her eyes, instead of shock, had a look of wonder in them.

"Oh, no, no!" She gasped, turning around the run outside again. Amy could only watch in amusement as she peered around the outside of the box, "But it's just a box! But it's huge. How does it do that? It's wood!"

She knocked on the outside of the box, the wandered back inside.

"It's like a box with that room just rammed in. It's bigger on the inside." The Doctor mouthed the words with her, looking pleased.

"Is it?" He asked sarcastically, "I hadn't noticed." He shut the door and threw his coat on one of the coral pillars, "All right, then, let's get going."

Jones looked around with a frown, "But is there a crew? Like a navigator and stuff? Where is everyone?"

"Just me and Amy." The Doctor said.

Jones looked at them , "You guys are all on your own?"

"Well, I have guests." He shrugged, "I mean some friends, like Amy, traveling alongside. I had- there was recently a friends of mind." He cleared his throat, "Rose, her name was Rose. And... we were together." He blinked, realizing what he'd said, "Anyway..."

"Where is she now?" Jones asked nervously.

"With her family." The Doctor said sadly, "Happy. She's fine. Not that you're replacing her."

"Never said I was." Jones frowned.

"Just one trip to say 'thanks', you get one trip, then back home." The Doctor was mumbling more to himself more than Jones, "I'd rather be on my own."

"What about Amy." Jones frowned.

"Amy, is..." He frowned, "Complicated"

"You're not...together?" She asked, looking far too curious for Amy's liking.

"No." She replied, narrowing her eyes.

"Oh." Jones nodded, "I'm just asking."

"Why?" The Doctor asked, looking nervous.

She shrugged, "You're the one that kissed me."

He glared at her, "That was a genetic transfer."

"And if you will wear a tight suit..." Martha smirked, and Amy did as well. The Doctor was getting rather uncomfortable, tugging at his suit.

"Now...don't!"

"And then travel all the way across the universe just to ask me on a date..."

"Stop it!"

Jones smirked, and leaned in, "For the record? I'm not remotely interested. I only go for humans." Amy pursed her lips, sensing that she wasn't being entirely truthful.

"Good." The Doctor said with a breath of relief, "Well, then." He moved around the console, "Close down the gravitic anomalizer. Fire up the helmic regulator." Amy snorted and he sent her a look. He was trying to show off, "And finally- the hand brake." He said as he turned the hand brake 'on'. "Ready?"

"No." Jones said with a grin.

The Doctor chuckled, "Off we go!"

The TARDIS jolted madly and Amy gripped the railing, watching as Jones was almost thrown across the room.

"Blimey." She chuckled nervously, "It's a bit bumpy."

"A bit?" Amy snorted.

The Doctor grinned, "Welcome aboard, Miss Jones." The Doctor reached across the console to shake her hand.

"It's my pleasure, Mr. Smith! Mrs Williams!"

* * *

**A/N: Whhhhaaatttt? Two chapters in two days? What is this madness? Well the review response from last chapter was just fantastic, so I thought I'd give you all another chpater. But Don't expect it to be this fast for long. I'm currently writing somewhere in Evolution of the Daleks, which is a bit close for my liking. I think I'd rather be a bit further along from where I'm posting. I know I'm paranoid, but shh.**

**Thank you so much to everyone who's reviews, and be sure to drop one by on this chapter with any comments concerns or questions! Love hearing from you guys!**

**Until Next Time,**

**-Ash**


	8. A Foot in the Dark Ages

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who**_

* * *

**Chapter 8: A Foot in the Dark Ages**

_"Oh, Doctor. Doctor, it's..." _  
_"History."_

_-Amy pond & The Doctor_

* * *

"But how do we travel in time?" Jones asked as she clung to the console, trying to remain steady as they travelled. For the life of her Amy couldn't remember it being this bad when he first brought Rose on board.

The Doctor rolled his eyes at Jones, practically on top of the console as he worked, "Oh, let's take the fun and mystery out of everything. Martha, you don't wanna know. It just does. Amy! Hold that lever! Martha, Hold on tight!"

Amy reached for the lever he was pointing at and pulled it, causing the ship to tilt dangerously. Martha yelped and fell to the floor while the Doctor fell off the console. Amy clung to the lever she'd just pulled, falling to her knees as they landed.

"Blimey!" Martha groaned as she stood up, "Do you have to pass a test to fly this thing?"

"Yes, and I failed it." The Doctor said, grabbing his coat.

Amy laughed, "Oh, I _knew _it! You're terrible!"

"Oi! Shut it!" He gestured to the door with grin, handing Martha her jacket, "Now, make the most of it. I promised you one trip and one trip only. Onside this door..." He stopped in front of the door dramatically, "Brave new world."

Martha looked at him, "Where are we?"

"Take a look." The Doctor opened the door with a flourish, "After you."

Martha exited the TARDIS and Amy quickly followed.

She grinned. Elizabethan London.

"Oh its beautiful!" Amy laughed, before wrinkling her nose, "And it reeks."

"Oh, you are kidding me!" Maratha gapped at the sight in front of them. Wooden houses with the smoke from warm fires. To the left was the harbor and Amy could see the sailed ships moving through the dark water. "You are _so _kidding me. Oh, my God! We did it. We travelled in time. Where are we? No, sorry. I gotta get used to this whole new language. _When_ are we?"

The Doctor grabbed them both my the back of their shirts, yanking them back. Amy watched as a whole bunch of waste well from a window and into the street.

Amy wrinkled her nose, "That explains the stink."

The Doctor looked at it with equal distaste, "Somewhere before the invention of the toilet. Sorry about that."

"I've seen worse." Martha avoided looking at the waste, "I've worked the late night shift at A&E."

Amy snorted, "I feel like there's a story or two in there." Rory always came home from A&E with the weirdest stories.

The Doctor started to walk down the street, his hands in his pockets as he looked around.

Martha looked more nervous, "But are we safe? I mean, can we move around and stuff."

"Obviously." Amy shrugged, "Otherwise what's the point."

"Why do you ask?" The Doctor frowned.

Martha shrugged, "It's like in the films. You step on a butterfly; you change the future of the human race."

The Doctor rolled his eyes, "Well, tell you what then, don't step on any butterflies." He faltered, "What have butterflies ever done to you?"

"What if, I dunno..." Martha shrugged, "What if I kill my grandfather?"

"You planning to?"

"No."

The Doctor nodded, "Well, then."

Martha looked like she had a hundred more questions, but she was finally understanding that she wasn't going to get a straight answer out of the Doctor. Instead she changed the topic, "This is London."

"I think so." The Doctor nodded, "Right around 1599."

Amy leaned over, lowering her voice, "Where were you aiming?" But he just gave her a light shove. Obviously he wanted to show off.

"Oh, but hold on." Martha froze, looking down, "Am I all right? I'm not gonna get carted off as a slave, am I?"

"Why would they do that?" The Doctor asked, genuinely confused.

Martha turned to Amy with a look of 'Is he serious' plastered on her face. Then back to the Doctor, "Not exactly white, in case you haven't noticed."

"I'm not even human." The Doctor pointed out, "Just walk about like you own the place. Works for me. Besides, you'd be surprised. Elizabethan England, not so different from your time. Look over there." He pointed to a man shoveling manure, "They've got recycling." He nodded his head over to two men talking around a water barrel, "Water cooler moment."

"...and the world will be consumed by flame!"

The Doctor looked at the crazed religious man in amusement, "Global warming. Oh, yes, and entertainment! Popular entertainment for the masses. If I'm right, we're just down the river by Southwark right next to..."

They turned a corner and Amy grinned at the site in front of her. "Is that...?"

"Oh, yes." The Doctor grinned at them, "The Globe Theatre! Brand new. Just opened. Though, strictly speaking, it's not a globe; it's a tatradecagon - 14 sides - containing the man himself."

"Woah, you don't mean..." Martha blinked, looking like she was still trying to process everything, "Is Shakespeare in there?"

"Oh, yes." The Doctor repeated, holding out both of his arms with a smirk, "Ladies, will you accompany me to the theatre."

Martha linked her arm, "Yes, Mr. Smith, I will."

The Doctor turned to Amy, raising his arm expectantly. She rolled her eyes fondly, and hooked her arms around his, "If you insist."

"When you get home, you can tell everyone you've seen Shakespeare."

Martha looked at him cheerful sarcasm, "Then I could get sectioned."

* * *

Of course the true Shakespeare experience meant standing in a sweaty, dirty moshpit with the masses. But Amy had to say she wouldn't have it any other way. The Doctor only groaned once about getting what he hoped was mud in his coat, but otherwise they sat back and enjoyed the show.

At the end everyone was cheering and applauding as the actors took their bows.

"That's amazing!" Martha gushed, looking at the stage, "Just amazing. It's worth putting up with the smell. And those are men dressed as women, yeah?"

"London never changes."

"You're one to talk." Amy snorted, "Remember that time on-"

The Doctor jammed his hand over her mouth, his cheeks turning a hilarious shade of pink. Martha giggled to herself, then turned to the stage.

"Where's Shakespeare? I wanna see Shakespeare." She raised her fist into the air, "Author! Author!" She trailed off when she noticed no one else joining her. She frowned, "Do people shout that? Do they shout 'Author'?"

All around them the men and women picked up on the chant, yelling 'Author'. The Doctor looked at them bemused , "Well...they do now."

Amy could only watch as a man came out of the stage. He wasn't what she imagined, in fact he was kind of good-looking. Well, incredibly good-looking. He came out with a flourish and gave an exaggerated bow, blowing kisses to the crowd who cheered and applauded.

"He's a bit different from his portraits." Martha pointed out.

"Yeah." Amy chuckled, "If I'd known he looked like that I would have paid more attention in English."

The Doctor rolled his eyes, and turned to Shakespeare, his eyes bright in admiration, "He's more than just a good-looking bloke, Amy. He's a genius - _the _genius. The most human _human _that's ever been. Now we're gonna hear him speak. Always, he chooses the best words. New, beautiful, brilliant words."

"Shut your big fat mouths!"

The Audience all laughed and Amy joined them, but looking at the crestfallen expression on the Doctor's face.

"Oh, well..." He mumbled, disappointed.

Martha chuckled, "You should never meet your heroes."

"You have excellent taste!" Shakespeare congratulated them, "I'll give you that. Oh, that's a wig!" He pointed to a man in the audience and they all laughed again. Shakespeare grinned charmingly, "I know what you're all saying. 'Love Labour's Lost', that's a funny ending, isn't it? It just stops! Well, don't get your hose in a tangle, you'll find out soon. Yeah, yeah. All in good time. You don't rush a genius."

"He's about as modest as you Doctor." Amy pointed out as they watched Shakespeare bow on the stage.

"When?" Shakespeare asked rhetorically, "Tomorrow night!"

Amy could see the actors falter, all looking at each other in shock, and Amy raised an eyebrow. Obviously Shakespeare was more than a little bit impulsive.

"The premiere of my brand new play. A sequel, no less, and I call it 'Love Labour's Won'!"

Everybody else cheered except for the Doctor, who was strangely silent as he studied the play writer.

"What?" Amy asked him, "I know that face..."

He cleared his throat, giving her a tight smile, "Oh, nothing. It's...nothing..."

* * *

They left the theatre with the rest of the crowd, all of whom where chatting animatedly about the new play.

"I'm not an expert," Martha said as they walked, "But I've never heard of 'Love Labour's Won'."

The Doctor nodded, "Exactly - the lost play. It doesn't exist - only in rumors. It's mentioned in lists of his plays but never ever turns up. No one knows why."

"Have you got a mini-disk or something?" Martha asked cheerfully, "We can flog it. Sell it when we get home and make a mint."

The Doctor looked at her, "No." He said simply.

Martha paused, "That would be bad?" She guessed.

"Yeah," The Doctor nodded, "Yeah."

"Well how comes no one knows about it?" Amy asked, "I mean, they're performing it tomorrow night, so someone's got to know it."

The Doctor looked torn. Amy could see the curiosity in his eyes. He was dying to solve the mystery of the forgotten play, but she could also see him looking at Martha. He was still dead set on this being a one time thing. Martha wasn't a companion she was just...a guest.

But his resolve was cracking. Finally he sighed, "Well, I was just gonna give you a quick little trip in the TARDIS, but I suppose we could stay a bit longer."

Martha's face brightened up, and he jumped up slightly clapping her hand. Amy wandered slightly behind them and couldn't help the small grin at the woman's enthusiasm.

They wandered around forever, talking to people and trying to locate where Shakespeare might be staying. Finally they found a man who was an actor in the play who directed them to the Elephant Inn.

They wandered through the inn, and nobody stopped them. Finally the Doctor stopped and knocked at one of the doors.

"Hello!" He grinned cheerfully, "Excuse me! I'm not interrupting, am I? Mr. Shakespeare, isn't it?"

"Oh no, no, no, no..." Shakespeare groaned, "Who let you in? No autographs. No, you can't have yourself sketched with me. And please don't ask where I get my ideas from. Thanks for the interest. Now be a good boy and shove..." He trailed off as Martha and Amy rounded around the corner. His eyes widened and he grinned, suddenly all charm, "Hey, nonny nonny. Sit right down here next to me ladies..."

Amy raised an eyebrow at him and Martha gapped like she wasn't quite sure what to say.

Shakespeare turned to two men in the room, "You two get sewing on them costumes. Off you go." He dismissed them.

A woman with blond hair and an apron grinned, "Come on, lads. I think our William's found his new muse."

"Sweet ladies." He grinned at them, motioning to sit. Martha and the Doctor sat right away, but Amy only stood beside her, arms crossed. "Such unusual clothes. So...fitted."

"Um, verily." Martha grinned, "Forsooth, egads."

"No, no, don't do that, don't." The Doctor shook her head while Amy just smirked. He turned back to Shakespeare and held out his Psychic paper, "I'm sir Doctor of TARDIS, and this is Dame Amelia of Leadworth and our companion Miss Martha Jones."

Amy stood up a little straighter and she grinned to herself. She'd forgotten that she had been knighted. Sure she'd been banished right after, but he didn't need to know that.

"Interesting." Shakespeare looked at the paper, "That bit of paper. It's blank."

The Doctor faltered, her eyes widening, "Oh, that's...very clever." He grinned, impressed, "That proves it. Absolute genius."

Martha looked at the paper with a frown, "No...it says right there. Sir Doctor, Dame Amelia, Martha Jones. It says so."

Shakespeare grinned at her, "And I say it's blank."

The Doctor sighed, looking down at Martha, "Psychic paper. Um, long story. Oh, I hate starting from scratch." He grumbled. He pocketed the psychic paper.

"Psychic..." Shakespeare said the word slowly, like he was pondering everything about it. "Never heard that before and words are my trade. Who are you exactly? More's the point, who is your red-haired beauty, and the delicious blackamoor lady?"

Amy started to cough as she gapped at him while Martha's mouth just dropped open, "What did you say?"

"Oops." Shakespeare didn't look very sorry, "Isn't that a word we use nowadays? An Ethiop girl? A swarg? A Queen of Afrique...?"

"I can't believe I'm hearing this." Martha scoffed.

The Doctor looked more amused, "It's political correctness gone mad." He turned back to Shakespeare, "Um, Martha and Amy are from a far-off land. Freedonia!"

Amy had to stop herself from slapping him around the back of the head. Freedonia? That was the best he could come up with?

"Excuse me!" They heard a loud and rude voice from the hall. They turned and saw a man who looked rather well to do. He pushed his way into the room, "Hold hard this moment. This is abominable behavior. A new play with no warning? I demand to see a script, Mr Shakespeare. As Master of the Revels, every new script must be registered at my office and examined by me before it can be performed."

"Tomorrow morning." Shakespeare promised, "First thing, I'll send it round."

The man sneered at him, "I don't work to your schedule, you work to mind. The script, now!"

"I can't." Shakespeare shrugged.

The man bristled, "Then tomorrow's performance is cancelled."

"It's all go, 'round here, isn't it?" Martha mumbled.

The man puffed up in self importance, "I'm returning to my office for a banning order. If it's the last thing I do, 'Love's Labour's Won' will never be played."

"Yeesh." Amy muttered, "If he didn't like the play all he had to do was say so." The Doctor snorted but the men sent her a dark look. She held up in hands in mock surrender and he sneered and left the room.

Amy sighed, "Well that was anticlimactic."

"Yeah." Martha sighed, "Guess that's it then...mystery solved. That's Love Labour's won' over and done with. Thought it might be something more, you know...more mysterious."

She spoke to sound.

A loud piercing scream came from outside and the Doctor and Amy shot to their feet, running out of the Inn. They didn't check to see if Martha was following but Amy could hear the sound of her shoes against the wooden floors.

They rushed out onto the street to see what was happening. The man that had refused Shakespeare's play was hunch over on the street. Amy gapped as she saw that he was spitting up water.

She ran forward and tried to help him, but it was no use, more and more water came up, way more than should be able to fit in his lungs.

"He's drowning..." Amy gasped.

Martha ran over and tried to help the man, but there was nothing they could do. The three of them could only watch in horror as the man drown in front of them. Amy looked over to see the Doctor running down the street, obviously trying to see if whoever had done this was still around.

Something caught the corner of her eyes and a familiar man came into view, wearing clothing that was very obviously not 1599 chic. Quickly she grabbed the hood of her jacket and pulled it over her head, hiding her flaming red hair, and moved back to help Martha with the drowning man.

Suddenly the water stopped and he fell to the ground.

Martha pressed her head to his chest, listening intently, "Gotta get the heart going. Mr. Lynley, c'mon, can you hear me? You're gonna be all right."

She leaned down to give mouth to mouth, but more watched gushed out, forcing Martha's face away. The Doctor finally joined them, looking down at Mr. Lynley who was laying dead on the ground

"What the hell is that?" Martha gapped at the body.

The Doctor was stumped, "I've never seen a death like it. His lungs are full of water - he drowned and then...I dunno, like a blow to the heart, and invisible blow." He'd kept his voice low, but as he stood up to address the panicked Dolly and the small crowd forming around them, his voice got louder, "Good mistress, this poor fellow has died from a sudden imbalance of the humors. A natural if unfortunate demise. Call a constable and have him taken away."

Dolly faltered, but then nodded, "Yes, sir."

"I'll do it, ma'am." One of the maids of the inn, tittered her head, looking at the body with a morbid curiosity.

The Doctor crouched down to the body. Amy let her eyes wander to the side and saw that the familiar man was gone. She turned to the doctor, lowering her voice.

"Why'd you say that?" Martha whispered to him, "If there's something going on they should know."

The Doctor's lips twitched down, "This lot still have got one foot in the Dark ages. If I tell them the truth, they'll panic and think it was witchcraft."

Amy had to concede to that. The last thing they needed was to get burnt at the stake.

Martha nodded, "Okay, what was it then?"

The Doctor looked at the Body, his eyes dark and calculating, "Witchcraft."

* * *

**A/N: Okay I lied. My muse is back, and therefore insane amounts of writing is back! Yay! It's not gonna be every day, but I am writing more so it's definitely going to be more often! Yayy!**

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far! If we keep this up, hopefully I'll hit 1K reviews, which would be just insane. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far, and please drop me one this chapter for any comments, concerns or questions! I have a quiz in Greek this afternoon and could use the pick me up!**

**Until Next Time,**

**-Ash**


	9. Science and Magic

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who**_

* * *

**Chapter 9: Science and Magic**

_"Just keeping you on your toes." - Amy Pond_

* * *

The mood in the Inn had taken a complete 180 when they returned. Nobody rejected their presence as they walked back in to Shakespeare's room, Dolly following behind them dejectedly.

"I'll set up a few rooms for you, Sir Doctor. One for you, and another for the Dame, and Miss Jones."

The Doctor nodded absentmindedly at her and she quickly scurried out of the room, her face downcast.

"Poor Lynley." Shakespeare sighed, "So many strange events. Not least of all, this land of Freedonia where a woman can be a doctor?"

Amy wrinkled her nose at that. A man had just drowned on land and he was focused on that?

"Where a woman can do what she likes." Martha snapped, obviously thinking the same thing. Amy couldn't help but think that maybe Martha hadn't quite gotten over his earlier remarks to her skin colour.

Shakespeare gave her a look of surrender and with a small smirk turned to look at the Doctor, "And you, Sir Doctor. How can a man so young have eyes so old."

"I do a lot of reading." The Doctor replied deadpanned with a cheeky grin.

Shakespeare raised a single eyebrow, "A trite reply. Yeah, that's what I'd do." He turned to Amy, "And you Dame Amelia...you're like a dam, emotion building up like water...you've lost someone I think."

Amy winced and felt the Doctor stiffen beside her as if he expected her to lash out at Shakespeare. Martha looked curious, but had enough sense to know it was personal.

Amy clenched her jaw, her eyes like steel, "I don't think that's any of your business."

Shakespeare tilted his head in, "Apologies, I meant no disrespect." Amy nodded tersely showing he was forgiven. Shakespeare looked back at Martha, "But you...You look at him like you're surprised he exists. He's as much of a puzzle to you as he is to me. But you..." Shakespeare looked at Amy warily, like he didn't wish to upset her further, "He is familiar to you...yet..." He trailed off, closing his mouth quickly.

Amy was overcome with an intense curiosity to know what he was going to say.

Martha looked around the room, sensing the tension and spoke up, "I think we should say good night." And she turned to leave.

Shakespeare nodded, "I must work. I have a play to complete. But I'll get my answers tomorrow, Doctor, and I'll discover more about you and this constant performance of yours."

"All the worlds a stage." The Doctor grinned at Amy, who rolled her eyes at his.

"Hm, I might use that."

* * *

It was a bit awkward.

Okay it was _really _awkward.

And it wasn't until this exact moment that Amy realized that she hadn't really spoken with Martha since she'd met her. She'd only just stopped thinking of her as 'Jones' in her mind, but the only words they'd exchanged had been a few scattered phrases.

There was only one bed in the room, and it look anything but comfortable. Amy saw a sort of mouldy looking couch thing by the open window and sighed.

"You can have the bed." She offered to Martha, who jumped when Amy spoke to her.

"Er..." Martha looked uncertain, but at the same time that she _really _wanted the bed, "Are you sure."

"Yeah." Amy nodded, "I'll take the window seat, I'm used to sleeping in weird places."

It was more than that. In a way she wanted to...keep watch. It didn't make much sense, especially since she'd be sleeping most of the night, but she wanted to. Another part of her wanted to stay there just in case the familiar man came back. She could turn her face and hide her hair, but he might recognize Martha. She couldn't be sure.

Martha tested the bed and then sat down on it, looking around in awe, "It's just all so...authentic."

Amy was reminded of when they took Mickey to the spaceship. He'd looked out into the vastness of space and was shocked at how real it was. Like they hadn't quite accepted what was happening.

Amy figured this had to be the case with Martha, as the girl had yet to have her freak out. The Doctor had said that everyone freaked out at least once. But besides her initial denial she'd been bright eye'd and sure-footed.

"Are you alright?" Amy asked.

Martha looked up at her, "What?"

"I mean..." Amy waved around, "All this can be a bit much. People when they find out, when they actually _see _it, they freak out."

"Did you?" Martha asked, before she closed her mouth, "I mean."

Amy chuckled, then closed her mouth, "Yeah...definitely." She looked out the window, "I ranted, asked him why his spaceship was made of wood, what a police box was, did police even come in boxes, and how many you'd get." Amy couldn't believe she could remember this...it was so long ago, "Then I proceeded to poke at him, asking if he was some sort of space squid in a human suit."

"Oh god." Martha laughed.

Amy nodded, "When I saw space I thought...it's gotta be a special effect, you know?"

"I still think I'm dreaming." Martha said after a few moments of silence, looking a bit guilty, "I think that maybe they were right and it was a gas leak and I'm just imaging all this..."

"Well..." Amy sighed, sitting down on her couch, "Think of it this way...if you are imagining all this then you've got one hell of an imagination."

Martha laid back on the bed, only to wince and fidget until she was in a more comfortable position. Amy adjusted, leaned up against the wooden walls, staring out into the city and the harbour, watching the large ships break through the still water.

"But if this was real." Martha began her voice a bit uncertain. "The Doctor, is he...does he..."

Amy looked at her with raised eyebrow, taking in the blush on her cheek. She rolled her eyes and looked out the window. "I wouldn't hold your breathe."

"What?" Martha looked genuinely perplexed, like she hadn't heard what Amy had said.

Amy fixed Martha with a look, "I thought you only went for humans?"

Martha's face darkened a bit more and she looked away, "He _looks _human."

"He does." Amy conceded. "But...well here's the thing. Every person who travels with him falls in love in some sort of way, right? So my advice right here and now...don't let that happen."

"Why not?"

Amy looked at her, "Because then it makes it all the harder when you have to leave."

Martha looked at her with that same curiosity that she always had in her eyes before she let her head fall to her bed, "Doesn't matter though, does it? Cause I'm not staying. One off thing, right?"

Amy sighed, "Maybe." Martha's eyes filtered over to her and Amy cursed that a glimmer of hope shone in them, "He's been lonely, getting in trouble a lot. You might be a good person to have around, get his mind off things."

"Things?"

Amy didn't say anything after that. She didn't think she'd be able to. The Doctor and her had yet to truly talk about what happened in Canary Wharf, let alone for her to spill her guts out to some random stranger.

Amy sighed, blowing out the candle that light up the room, then settled down into a comfortable position."Goodnight Martha."

Martha mumbled something, already half sleep.

* * *

Amy woke to a scream.

She yelped, rolling off the couch and landing on the floor harshly. Amy lifted her head and saw Martha sitting upright in her bed, her eyes wide.

Together they scrambled to their feet, running over to the door. They threw it open to see the Doctor peeking his head out of his room, his suit was still well pressed and hair in place, telling Amy that he hadn't been sleeping.

They ran further down the fall where there was a body laying on the floor. Amy ran over and crouched beside her. She saw with shock that it was Dolly.

"Wha'?" Shakespeare blinked, looking like he's just woken up.

Martha ran over to an open window, looking outside her eyes wide in shock. Amy examined Dolly, quickly checking for a pulse.

"She's dead." Amy said quickly. That was two deaths, and they hadn't even been here a full day yet. What on earth was going on?

"Her heart gave out." The Doctor frowned after studying her, "She died of fright."

"Doctor?" Martha's voice carried over, uncertain.

The Doctor walked over to the window, where Martha was still looking in shock, "What did you see?"

Martha opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to come to terms with what it was.

"A witch."

* * *

After that there was nothing to do but go back to bed. after noticing that there was only the one bed in their room, the Doctor offered her his bed. Amy took it immediately, knowing that he wasn't going to use it, plus she had a massive kink in her neck from sleeping in the window seat already.

She's only had a few more hours of sleep before the Doctor gently shook her awake, then left to go wake up Martha.

Amy groaned and grabbed her jacket, stopping only when her Polaroid fell out of her pocket. She quickly picked it up and stuffed it back in, careful not to actually look at the image.

Shakespeare seemed to take the death of Dolly harder than they'd thought. He sighed sitting at his desk, running his hands through his shaggy hair, "Oh, sweet Dolly Bailey. She sat out three bouts of the plague in this place. We all ran like rats. But what could have scared her so? She had such enormous spirit."

"Rage." The Doctor said softly, "Rage against the dying of the light."

"Stop it." Amy hissed at him, but he just grinned at her cheekily.

But Shakespeare already heard. He pointed at the Doctor, "I might use that."

"You can't." The Doctor replied, "It's someone else's."

"But the thing is." Martha interrupted, "Lynley drowned on dry land, Dolly died of fright and they were both connected to you."

"You're accusing me?" Shakespeare said sharply.

"No." Martha said quickly, "But I saw a witch, big as you like, flying cackling away, and you've written about witches."

Shakespeare looked confused, "I have? When was that?"

The Doctor tilted his head to Martha, looking a bit amused, "Not, not quite yet." Martha looked away abashed.

Shakespeare looked between them all, but decided to drop it, "Peter Streete spoke of witches."

"Yeah?" Amy stepped forward, "And who's that, then?"

"Our builder." Shakespeare explained, "He sketched the plans to the Globe."

Amy let out a low whistle, "Blimey."

"The Architect!" The Doctor snapped to attention, obviously finally recognizing the name, "Hold on. The architect! The architect!" He slammed his fist on the table making Amy jump, "The Globe! Come on!"

He ran out the door and Martha turned to Amy, wondering if she should follow.

Amy sighed, "Let's go then, he'll explain when we get there." She tilted her head as they ran off, "Hopefully."

* * *

Amy had seen the Globe theatre once before on a school trip to London, but seeing it near brand new was something different all together. Without the massive crowd, she could see the colour of paint that had long since rotten away and the wood was polished to a shine.

The Doctor ran right into the middle of the mosh pit, turning to look around the theatre, his face pensive, "The columns there, right? Fourteen sides. I've always wondered but I never asked...tell me, Will, why fourteen sides?"

Shakespeare shrugged, "It was the shape Peter Streete thought best, that's all. Said it carried the sound well."

"Why does that ring a bell? Fourteen..." The Doctor mumbled to himself.

"There are fourteen lines in a sonnet." Martha threw out like it was common knowledge. Amy frowned, was there? She vaguely remembered learning something about sonnets in school, but she couldn't remember worth a damn.

But the Doctor was impressed, "So there is. Good point. Words and shapes following the same design." He paced around the pit, his eyes on the theatre walls, "Fourteen lines, fourteen sides, fourteen facts...oh, my head." He snapped, "Tetradecagon...think, think, think! Words, letters, numbers, line."

"Not following." Amy blinked, looking around. Usually the Doctor would actually explain by now, tell her what's going on so she could add input. That's one of the reasons he liked having humans around, they saw the world a different way. He's told her so a hundred times.

So why wasn't he doing it now?

"This is just a theatre." Shakespeare seemed to think that maybe the Doctor's head wasn't screwed on properly.

"Oh, but a theatre's magic, isn't it." The Doctor grinned manically, "You should know. Stand on this stage, say the right words with the right emphasis at the right time...Oh, you can make men weep, or cry with joy, change them. You can change people's minds just with words in this place. and if you exaggerate that..."

"It's like your police box." Martha pointed out, "Small wooden box with all that _power _inside."

"Oh. Oh, Martha Jones, I like you." The Doctor smiled at her, "Tell you what, though. Peter streete would know. Can I talk to him?"

"You won't get an answer." Shakespeare told him, "A month after finishing this place...lost his mind."

"Hmm?" Amy raised an eyebrow, "How soon after?"

"Not even a week." Shakespeare replied, "Why?"

Amy looked over at the Doctor and gave him a look. That couldn't be a coincidence.

"What happened?" Martha asked.

Shakespeare sighed sadly, "Started raving about witches, hearing voices, babbling. his mind was addled."

"Where is he now?"

"Bedlam."

Now that was a name Amy knew. She winced immediately having heard about the horrible conditions in the medieval hospital.

"What's Bedlam?" Martha asked.

"It's a hospital." Amy answered, "A mental hospital."

"A madhouse." Shakespeare nodded in agreement.

"We're gonna go there, Right now." The Doctor turned to leave, "Come on."

And once again he ran off.

"Wait!" Shakespeare called as they ran to follow the Doctor, "I'm coming with you. I want to witness this at first hand!" Amy paused, waiting for him as she was sure that the Doctor wouldn't. He turned to two actors who'd walked on stage "Ralph, the last scene as promised. Copy it, hand it round. Learn it. Speak it. Back before curtain up. Remember, kid, project. Eyes and teeth. You never know - the Queen might turned up."

Amy raised an eyebrow at him as he walked back over to her looking a bit more bitter than he had been before.

"As if." He grumbled as he caught up, "She never does."

* * *

As they walked down the street Shakespeare questioned them further about their story. Obviously he didn't believe them and was trying to either trip them up, or gather more information about their real place of origin. Amy listened to his flirting with an amused smile, her jacket hood up and hiding her face Doctor gave her a weird look, obviously having noticed her weird behaviour, but Amy didn't say anything. Instead she kept her face low, knowing it was useless with the Doctor there. The familiar man would recognize the Doctor in a second.

"So, tell me of Freedonia, where women can be doctors, writers, actors..."

Amy wondered if he'd somehow guessed that she was a writer. Writing for travel magazine's wasn't all that amazing compared to Shakespeare's plays, but it was how she made her living.

"This country's ruled by a woman." Martha pointed out, and Amy was suddenly reminded of Mr. Connolly in the 50s.

"Ah, she's royal." Shakespeare grinned, "That's God's business. Though you _are _a royal beauty."

Amy wanted to snort at the cheesy line, but held it in knowing that Martha might take it the wrong way.

Martha stopped, "Whoa nelly! I know for a fact you've got a wife in the country."

"But Martha, this is town." He looked at her cheekily, holding his arms out slightly.

The Doctor turned back, looking more annoyed than amused, "Come on. We can all have a good flirt later."

Shakespeare turned to him with a raised eyebrow, "Is that a promise, Doctor?"

The Doctor visibly faltered, looking between Shakespeare and Amy, who was holding a hand to her mouth to try not to laugh, "Oh...57 academics just punched the air. Now move!"

* * *

Bedlam was about a hundred times worse than Amy imagined.

She'd been to psychiatric hospitals before. Sometimes Rory would volunteer at them on his days off, saying that they were much more relaxed than the busy London hospital he usually worked at. And he was right, it as very open and friendly. The People were happy, always waving and smiling (although that might have been the drugs in the case of a few people), but it was a wonderfully happy place.

Not Bedlam.

It was a prison. That's all she could say. The corridors were thin and dark, the stones were damp with urine and rats scurried in front of them as they walked. On the walls were thick iron bars, holding the insane, who howled and screamed and cried.

Martha was looking a bit sick herself, looking straight ahead and trying not to make eye contact with anybody.

Amy hoped they wouldn't have to stay long.

"Does my lord, Doctor, wish some entertainment while he waits?" The jailer asked as he lead us through the madhouse, "I'd whip these madmen. They'll put on a good show or yah. Bandog and Bedlam."

The Doctor looked horrified, "No. I don't!"

The Jailer rolled his eyes, then stopped them, "Wait here, my lords,while I make him decent for the ladies." He nodded at Amy and Martha respectfully then went into the cell.

As soon as he was gone Martha rounded on the men, "So this is what you call a hospital, yeah? Where the patients are whipped to entertain the gentry? And you put your friend in here?"

Amy pursed her lips, but didn't say anything. Martha was new - yes it was disgusting, but Amy had learned long ago that no matter how hard you tried to convince them, they wouldn't change their ways.

Shakespeare seemed a bit put off by Martha's speech as well, "Oh, and it's all so different in Freedonia."

"But you're clever!" Martha cried, "Do you honestly think this place is any good?"

"I've been mad." Shakespeare said quietly, "I've lost my mind. Fear of this place set me right again. It serves it's purpose."

Martha calmed a second as she looked at the man in front of her, "Mad in what way."

"You lost your son."

The voice didn't belong to Shakespeare, but to the Doctor who stood a little to the side, watching the argument with a sad look in his eyes. Amy wondered if he was thinking about Rose. She would have hated this place, probably would've yelled a lot more, her London accent would've gotten thicker as she told off Shakespeare. Martha was still a bit dazed by the man in front of her to do more that scold him.

Shakespeare turned to the Doctor, nodding lightly, "My only boy. The Black Death took him. I wasn't even there."

Martha faltered, "I didn't know. I'm sorry."

"It made me question everything. The futility of this fleeting existence. To be or not to be...oh." He paused, his eyes brightening, "That's quite good."

"You should write that down." The Doctor said dryly, with a tilt of his head.

"Hm, maybe not." Shakespeare wrinkled his nose, "A bit pretentious."

The Doctor made a non-committal noise, shrugging his shoulders a bit.

"This way, m'lord!"

Shakespeare and Martha walked into the cell, but before Amy could continue the Doctor grabbed her forearm.

Amy sent him a look, "What?"

"Er..." He hesitated, looking like he was second guessing talking to her, "Are you alright?"

She sent him an incredulous look.

"Stupid question." He conceded, then looked around lowering his voice, "I just meant...what with Shakespeare mentioning loosing his child..." He cleared his throat.

Amy was confused for a second, but then remembered that she'd led The Doctor and Rose to believe that she'd lost her child, which was half-true. He probably was worried that the conversation had brought back painful memories for her.

She felt warmth in her chest. Even though there was now a noticeable layer of tension between them he was still checking to make sure she was alright.

Amy nodded at him, smiling slightly, "Yes, I'm...I'm good."

He gave her a small genuine smile, before they moved into the cell.

The Jailer was waiting for them by the door. He nodded at the Doctor, "They can be dangerous, m'lord. Don't know their own strength."

The Doctor's foul mood came back, "I think it helps if you don't whip them! Now get out!" The Jailer quickly scurried from the room while the Doctor walked over to Peter Streete.

The man was dirty, his hair ratty and his skin had a layer of black grime over every inch. He was mumbling to himself unintelligibly, his eyes moving over the empty air in front of him, seeing but unseeing.

"Peter?" The Doctor started quietly, "Peter Streete?"

Shakespeare looked at the man sadly, "He's the same as he was. You'll get nothing out of him."

The Doctor ignored him, slowly placing a hand on peter's shoulder. Amy knew that Time Lord telepathy was stronger with touch, and she wondered if that's what he was attempting to do. "Peter?"

The man jerked violently, looking up at the Doctor, his mouth opening and closing.

"Can he talk?" Amy asked as no sound came out of his mouth, even though it was moving and forming words.

Shakespeare nodded, "Ay, he screams often enough."

The Doctor leaned over him, placing his fingertips on the side of Peter's face, "Peter, I'm the Doctor. Go into the past, one year ago. Let your mind go back, back to when everything was fine and shining. Everything that happening in this year since happened to somebody else. It was just a story. A winter's tale. Let go. Listen. That's it, just let go." He helped Peter lay down on his mouldy cot, "Tell me the story, Peter. Tell me about the witches."

Amy could see Peter's eyes clear up, and finally it looked like he was actually aware of where he was.

"Witches." He said immediately, "Spoke to peter. In the night, they whispered. Go Peter to build the Globe to their design. _Their _design! The fourteen walls - always fourteen. When the work was done." He laughed bitterly, "They sapped poor Peter's wits."

"Where did Peter see the witches." The Doctor asked, "Where in the city?" When Peter said nothing the Doctor crouched down beside him, "Peter, tell me. You've got to tell me where were they?"

"All Hallows street."

"Too many words!"

Amy screeched as the voice came from behind her. She spun around, and backed up, nearly colliding with the Doctor who pulled her out of the way as they all stared at the woman who was just appeared in the room.

"You've got to be kidding." Amy grumbled. She looked like...a witch. Her hair was long and grey and ratty. She had grey skin with a large hooked nose and warts all over her skin. Her fingers were long and body with pointed finger nails and she wore ripped black robes over her body.

"Is that..." Martha gapped at the Witch, looking more shocked than scared, something which Amy was incredibly grateful for.

"Yes." The Doctor replied, keeping his steel eyes on the witch.

The old woman didn't seemed disturbed by their presence. Instead she moved towards Peter with a wicked grin on her face, "Just one touch of the heart..."

"No!" The Doctor shouted as the witch pressed a single boney finger against Peter's chest.

Amy didn't know what had happened at first. Peter screamed, his chest arching of the bed before he collapsed, and a single rattling breath escaped him.

He was dead.

Amy gapped at the figure in front of her, her mind trying to figure out how the hell she did that. She was have some sort of energy weapon? Or was it a mental thing.

Was it magic?

"Witch!" Shakespeare cried, looking shocked, "I'm seeing a witch!"

"Who would be next, hmm?" The Witched looked around them, waving her finger around, "Just one touch. Oh, oh, I'll stop your frantic hearts. Poor, fragile mortals."

Martha tried to door, but it had been locked behind them. She grabbed the bars and cried, "Let us out! Let us out!"

"That's not gonna work." The Doctor told her, looking far too cam. He didn't take his eyes off the witch, "The whole building's shouting that."

"What is it?" Amy asked, looking at the witch, "Like...she can't actually be a witch can she?" The Doctor waved her off, and she could she his eyes vibrating like they did when he was thinking hard.

"Who will die first, hmm?"

The Doctor put on a cheerful front, "Well, if you're looking for volunteers."

He walked over to the witch. Martha, in her shock, tried to stop him. Amy grabbed her arm, pulling her back as she shook her head silently. The Doctor usually didn't' walk into dangerous situations without having at least an idea of what was going to happen.

Well...usually.

"Doctor...Can you stop her?" Shakespeare asked nervously.

The witch cackled, "No mortal has power over me."

"Okay cut it out." Amy snapped at her, "Cause it's really hard to take anything seriously with you being all...wicked witch of the west over there."

The Doctor's lips twitched at that, but he focused his eyes on the witch anyways, "Oh, but there's a power in words. If I can find the right one - if I can just know you..."

"None on Earth has knowledge of us!" The witch said confidently.

"Then it's a good thing I'm here." The Doctor quipped, "Now think, think, think...Humanoid female, uses shapes and words to channel energy...ah, fourteen!" He suddenly cried out, making Amy jump, "That's it! Fourteen! The Fourteen starts of the Rexel planetary configuration! Creature, I name you Carrionite!"

The Witch's eyes widened in shock and she stiffened, wailing as her body vanished right in front of their eyes.

Martha gapped at the spot she'd been a second ago, "What did you do?"

"I named her." The Doctor answered like it was nothing, "The power of a name. That's old magic."

"But there's no such thing as magic." Martha argued.

"Well." The Doctor tilted his head slightly, "It's just a different sort of science. You lot, you chose mathematics. Given the right string of numbers, the right equation, you can split the atom. Carrionites use words instead."

"So..." Amy furrowed her eyebrows, finding the idea impossible to wrap her mind around, "Then there _is _such a thing as magic."

"Well, no." The Doctor shook his head, "Just a different sort of science."

"But these words." Shakespeare asked, looking just as confused by the explanation, "What will they use them for?"

The Doctor pressed his lips together, "The end of the world."

* * *

**A/N: Boop! Another chapter for you my lovelies! Thank you all so much for your lovely reviews! I'm loving the theories you guys are putting forward! Don't worry, not too much longer before more will be revealed!**

**So how about that new episode! I'm not gonna say much about it, but it was a tear jerker.**

**If you guys are looking for a good fic to read I highly recommend Starlight by Writless. It's just super amazing. 10/10.**

**So drop me by a review with any comments, concerns, or questions! I know people say this a lot, but they really do motivate me to write and make me very very happy. I love you all!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Ash**


	10. Expelliarmus

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who**_

* * *

**Chapter 10: Expelliarmus**

_ "I mean if something's going to kill you it's nice that it drops you a note to remind you" - The Doctor_

* * *

After that they didn't have anywhere else they needed to be, so wearily they returned to Shakespeare's room at the Elephant inn.

"The Carrionites disappeared way back at the dawn of the universe." The Doctor explained, a pensive look on his face, "Nobody was sure if they were real or legend."

"Well, I'm going for real." Shakespeare muttered sarcastically.

Amy furrowed her eyebrows, "Why is it that every single lost species of the universe somehow finds it way onto Earth?"

"What can I say?" The Doctor shrugged, "It's a good planet."

"Well what do they want?" Martha asked, looking wide-eyed.

The Doctor turned his attention to her, shrugging, "A new empire on Earth. A world of Bones of blood and witchcraft."

"Lovely." Amy groaned, rolling her eyes. She was far to used to this sort of situation to be seriously worried yet.

Martha frowned, "But how."

"_Magic_." Amy waved her hands out, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Amy." The Doctor scolded, turning to Shakespeare, "I'm looking at the man with the words."

Shakespeare visibly stopped, "Me? But I've done nothing."

"Hold on, though." Martha cut in, looking at Shakespeare with a new light, "What were you doing last night, when that Carrionite was in the room?"

"Finishing the play." Shakespeare shrugged.

The Doctor frowned, "What happens on the last page?"

"The boys gets the girls. They have a bit of a dance. It's all as funny and thought provoking as usual - except those last few lines." He frowned, his eyebrows furrowed, "Funny thing is...I don't actually remember writing them."

"Well that must be it." Amy said, "The Carrionites want to use the globe as a...focus point or a transmitter or something. And they're gonna use the words on his play for the energy."

"It's a weapon." The Doctor cheered, "The right combination of words, spoken at the right place with the shape of the globe as an energy converter! The play's the thing! And yes," The Doctor turned to Shakespeare, giddy, "You can have that."

* * *

He rummaged around the room until finally he pulled out what looked like a map of the city.

"What're you looking for?" Amy asked as he unrolled it on Shakespeare's desk.

"All Hallow's Street." The Doctor replied, "It should be nearby, probably right around...there we go." He pointed to it on the map, "There it is. Martha, Amy and I will track the Carrionites down. Will, you get to the Globe. Whatever you do, stop that play!

Shakespeare nodded, "I'll do it." He shook the Doctor's hand, "All these years I've been the cleverest man around. Next to you, I know nothing."

"Oh no." Amy groaned, "Don't do that, he's intolerable as it is."

The Doctor looked overjoyed at being complimented by one of his idols, but Martha just snorted, "Don't complain."

Shakespeare chuckled, "I'm not. It's marvellous. Good luck, Doctor."

"Good luck, Shakespeare." He said before walking over to the door, Amy and Martha following him quickly, "Once more unto the breach!"

Shakespeare laughed, "I like that." He paused, "Wait a minute...that's one of mine."

The Doctor poked his head back around the door, "Oh, just shift!"

* * *

Amy was enjoying herself just a bit too much.

Probably because it was so incredibly nice to be on an adventure without the Doctor and Rose having to stop and wait for her to catch up. She was still a bit weak and thin, she'd need to gain a bit of weight to be back to full health, but she no longer felt like she was going to fall over dead.

They turned onto All Hallow's street, and stopped. Amy was breathing heavily as she looked around, all the houses looked the same. Tan walls with the dark wood lining.

"All Hallows Street," The Doctor frowned, "But which house."

"The thing is, though." Martha started, just as out of breath as Amy, "Am I missing something here? The World didn't end in 1599. It just didn't. Look at me - I'm living proof."

"Well." Amy started, looking around, "That either means we save the world - or..."

Martha looked at her nervously, "Or?"

"Oh, how to explain the mechanics of the infinite temporal flux?" The Doctor pondered, "I know! 'Back to the Future'! It's like 'Back to the Future'!

"The film?" Martha looked at him strangely.

The Doctor rolled his eyes, "No, the novelization. Yes, the film. Marty McFly goes back and changes history."

"And he starts to fade away." Martha realized, her face getting pale, "Oh my God, am I gonna fade?"

"Maybe." Amy shrugged, before realizing how insensitive she sound and winced in apology, "Sorry."

The Doctor didn't seem as worried about Martha's emotional state though, "The entire future of the human race too. It ends right now in 1599 if we don't stop it. But which house?"

Amy pointed behind the Doctor, "Maybe it's the house with the door that just opened by itself. Very 'come hither' don't you think?"

The Doctor turned and grinned, laughing as they walked towards the door, "Make that _witch _house." He chuckled, turning back to them with expectant looks.

"That was terrible." Amy supplied him.

The Doctor shrugged and walked into the house.

"Does he do that often?" Martha asked, watching where the Doctor had left with a look of bemusement.

Amy raised an eyebrow, "You mean does he make terrible puns often?"

"No." Martha frowned, "Talk to you like you're..."

"Stupid?" Amy chuckled.

"Yeah."

"Yeah." Amy nodded, smiling at Martha genuinely, "And you'd better get used to it."

* * *

The quickly caught up to the Doctor, who looked a little exasperated at them for not keeping up. Amy lightly smacked him around to head at his dirty look.

They walked into a side room where there was a young woman standing, looking calm as can be. Unlike the old hag that they'd seen at the prison, this women was young and very beautiful. Her hair was blond and hung around her face with a slight wave and she had a noble face, her eyes bright and menacing.

"Wait." Amy gapped, looking at the woman. "You were that maid."

The women smirked, but otherwise looked unmoved by Amy's realization. It was so obvious now, she would have been there to kill both Dolly and Lanley, and nobody would've been any the wiser when she just vanished.

"I take it we're expected." The Doctor motioned to her.

The women raised an eyebrow at him, "Oh, I think Death has been waiting for you a very long time."

If the Doctor was startled by her accusation then he didn't show it, only staring her down with equal parts curiosity and threat.

Martha however, looked annoyed and walked forward, "Right then, it's my turn. I know how to do this. I name thee, Carrionite!"

The women gasped as if in pain, only to straighten a second later and look at Martha with a mocking smile.

Martha faltered, looking at the Doctor, "What did I do wrong? Was it the finger?"

The woman looked at her with mock pity, "The power of a name only works once. Observe."

The women raised her hand, and twisted, pointing it at Amy.

"Oh no, you don't." Amy glared, trying to back away.

_"This sack of flesh the earth has spawned, I turn and name thee Amy Pond."_

Amy groaned as her vision went blurry and she collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Everything had been going so well too.

* * *

"Amy!" Martha cried, running over to the red-head who was laying on the ground. Her medical instinct kicked in and she reached into her neck to check for a pulse. When she found one she sighed in relief and looked over to the Doctor, "She's alive."

The Doctor looked relieved. Martha had noticed that when the witch pointed her finger at Amy the Doctor's eyes had widened in the closest thing to Panic that she'd ever seen from him.

"She's only sleeping." The witch looked annoyed at the fact, "Curious, the name as less impact. She's somehow out of her time." The Witch turned to Martha, looking her up and down with an upturn of her nose. Apparently the witch decided that Martha wasn't worth the effort, something which cause a strange twinge in Martha's gut. Instead the witch turned to the Doctor who was standing semi-protective in front of them, "And as for you, Sir Doctor."

She pointed a finger at him, only to falter.

"Fascinating. There is no name." She looked at him with a slight tilt to her head, "Why would a man hide his title in such despair? Oh, but look..." The witch perked up, looking at the Doctor mockingly, "There's still one word with the power that aches."

Martha half-paid attention, looking between the growing anger on the Doctor's face, to the sleeping form of Amy. She wasn't sure if she should try to wake her up for not.

The Doctor shook his head at the witch, "The naming won't work on me."

"But your heart grows cold." The witch sneered, "The north wind lows and carries down the distant...Rose."

The Doctor straightened suddenly, a look of pain and rage coming over his face, "Oh, big mistake 'cos that name keeps me fighting! The Carrionites vanished! Where did you go?"

The witch apparently didn't think she had anything to lose, "The Eternals found the right word to banish us into the deep darkness."

"And how did you escape?"

"New words." The Witch smirked, "New and glittering from a mind like no other."

Martha gasped, "Shakespeare."

Both the Doctor and the Witch turned to her and she wished that she'd kept her mouth shut. The Last thing she needed was attention on her and Amy.

Speaking of Amy, a low groan came from beneath her. Martha looked down to check on her. She was still unconscious, but Martha could see her eyes moving rapidly beneath her lids.

"His son perished." The witch continued, "The grief of a genius. Grief without measure. Madness enough to allow us entrance."

"How many of you?" The Doctor demanded.

"Just the three." The Witch sneered, "But the play tonight shall restore the rest. Then the human race will be purged as pestilence. And from this world we will lead the universe back to the old ways of blood and magic."

Martha frowned. They'd sent Shakespeare to stop the play, but the way the witch spoke. She sounded so sure of herself that it made Martha's insides squirm.

"Hmm."The Doctor looked distinctly unimpressed, "Bust schedule...but first you gotta get past me." He walked forward until he was face to face with the witch.

"Oh, that should be a pleasure considering my enemy has such a handsome shape." The Witch said, her voice low and seductive. Martha couldn't see the Doctor's face or judge his reaction as the Witch trailed a finger down the side of his face and along his jaw.

"Now, that's one form of magic that's definitely not gonna work on me." The Doctor chided.

"Oh, we'll see." The Witch purred.

She yanked her hand down and the Doctor yelped. Martha looked over to see that the witch was holding a few strands of the Doctor's hair in her hand.

"What did you do?" The Doctor asked curiously, rubbing where she'd yanked out the hairs.

"Souvenir."

Martha looked down at Amy, but then sighed, standing up and moving over to the Doctor, realizing that things were about to get nasty

"Well, give it back!" The Doctor sounded like a child, but dangerous at the same time. Something which impressed Martha to no end.

Suddenly the wooden covering on the window blew open and the witch flew backwards, hovering over the street.

"Well." The Doctor moved over to the windowsill, "That's just cheating."

"She can fly?" Martha gapped, looking down at the street below.

"Behold, Doctor!" The Witch cried, "Men to Carrionites are nothing but puppets."

Martha watching in horror as she pulled out a pale doll, made of cloth and hay. She froze, looking at the Doctor, "Is that a voodoo doll?"

"Well, " The Doctor frowned, "You could call it Voodoo, but I'd call that a DNA replication module."

The Witch wrinkled her nose, "What use is your science now."

Martha could only watch as the witch wrapped the Doctor's hair into the doll, "Um, but if it works like a voodoo dolls, then.."

But it was too late. The witch stabbed the doll with a pin and the Doctor cried out in pain, collapsing to the ground, clutching his chest. Martha couldn't do anything except to lower him to the ground as the witch cackled, flying away.

"Oh my God! Doctor! Don't worry, I've got you." She panicked, looking at his unconscious form. Both Amy and the Doctor were unconscious now. They needed her to do something, something fast.

Se rolled him onto his back and pressed her ear to his chest, listening for a heartbeat. She felt something feint and not in the right spot, and she stopped. Sitting up.

"Hold on, mister. Two hearts?"

The Doctor opened one eye and grinned at her, "You're making a habit of this."She moved to stand up, but nearly fell to the ground, "Aahhh! I've only got one heart." Martha struggled to keep him upright, "How do you people cope? I've got to get the other one started. Hit me! Hit me on the chest!"

Martha shifted him so that one of her arms was free and quickly pounded him on the chest like she'd learnt in school.

"Aahh!" He yelled, clenching his jaw, "Other side!"

"Was'goin'on." A grumbling sound came from the other side of the room. Martha pounded the other side of the Doctor while trying to keep track of Amy, who was obviously coming around.

"On the back!" The Doctor shouted, ignoring Amy as she popped out from the ground, watching them with a worried look. "On the back!"

"Is his heart out again?" Amy asked, sounding more amused now than worried. Martha wondered just how often his second heart went out.

Martha pushed the Doctor forward and used both hands to pound his back. "Yes." She growled.

"Left a bit."

She huffed, and pounded his back again.

And he jumped up, grinning madly, "Ahh, lovely!"

"What the hell happened?" Amy grumbled, her face contorted in its usual frown as she moved across the room to them, a single hand pressed to her head.

Martha let out a breath, "The witch used some freaky voodoo on the doctor, stopped one of his hearts."

"But we're back in business now!" The Doctor stretched, "Ba-da-boom!" He gave them both strange looks, "Well, what are you standing there for? Come on! The Globe!"

Martha watched him run out of the room, exasperated, but then quickly followed after him.

* * *

Amy was still groggy as she wandered after the Doctor, the effects of the witches spell still wearing off. She wasn't entirely sure why she wasn't dead, she hadn't had time to ask before they had been running off after the witches.

"Why are we going to the globe?" Amy yelled as they ran.

"The Witches are there!" The Doctor shouted. The street's were thankfully near empty as the town was either in their homes or at the globe, "There using the play to open a portal, letting the rest of their kind through."

"Great." Amy yelled, looking around. "Are we going the right way?"

"No!" Martha shook her head, looking frustrated.

"Yes!" The Doctor rolled his eyes, running down a side street, only to pause and turn around, "We're going the wrong way."

"I just said that!" Martha groaned, as they turned back ran back the way they'd just came.

"Doctor, I swear to-"

"Oh hush!" He waved his arm back as they ran.

Ahead of them Amy could see the theatre come into as they all stopped, staring at it in horror.

"We're too late." Amy gapped, looking at the cloud of red energy that was slowly opening above the theatre.

Not answering, the Doctor took off. They followed heading to the theatre. They finally arrived, but there was no one around save for a single preacher ranting about the end of the world.

"Stage door!"

They wandered around the side of the globe until they found a door with markings 'actors only.

The Doctor grabbed the handle and tried to pry it open, "It's locked!" He pulled out his sonic and tried it only to growl, "Wood!"

Not waiting for the Doctor to move out-of-the-way Amy steadied herself and raised a single foot, slamming it just above the door handle, and the door slammed open, splintering a bit from the force of the kick.

The Doctor gapped at her, "Good work."

"Go!" Amy yelled, pushing him inside.

He didn't need much more motivation as they ran inside, trying to make their way to centre stage where the action was. On the way they found Shakespeare who was sitting on the ground, looking dazed, and pressing a hand to his head.

"Stop the play!" The Doctor shouted in aggravation to the confused playwright, "I think that was it. Yeah, I said, "Stop the Play."'

"Oi!" Amy shouted, "Leave him be." She crouched down next to him, "What happened."

"I-." He shook his head in confusion, "I must've hit my head."

"Yeah, don't rub it, you'll go bald." The Doctor quipped. Finally the people in the audience realized that the red mass of energy wasn't part of the play and started to scream. The Doctor grinned, "I think that's my cue!"

He ran off and Amy looked down at Shakespeare, "Can you walk?"

He nodded, and Amy and Martha helped him to his feet, the three of them wandered after the Doctor.

They ran on stage. Hundreds of people were trying to leave, but the doors were shut and bolted. Looking up into the stage seating there were three witches, looking to a crystal from which hundred of thousands of Carrionites were flying.

"What do we do?" Amy shouted over the sound of the roaring wind.

The Doctor turned to Shakespeare, "Come on, Will! History needs you!"

"But what can I do?" Shakespeare gapped, looking up at the swirling storm with horror.

"Reverse it!"

"How am I supposed to do that?!"

The Doctor pointed around the globe, "The Shape of the globe gives words power, but you're the wordsmith! The one true genius! The only man clever enough to do it!"

"But what words?I have none ready."

"You're William Shakespeare!" The Doctor said with a grin, as if that explain it all. And it did in a strange way.

Shakespeare paused, but then shook his head, "But these Carrionite phrases, they need such precision."

"Trust yourself." The Doctor urged, "When you're locked away in your room, the words just come, don't they? Like magic. Words of the right sound, the right shape, the right rhythm - words that last forever! That's what you do, Will! You choose perfect words. Do it. Improvise!"

Shakespeare stared at the Doctor, taking in his pep talk as he looked around at all the screaming people.

"No pressure." Amy added, giving him a small smile. He grimace at her words, then turned to the Carrionite mass.

His hair whipped around his face and he squinted against the strong light. But All the same he raised a hand, "Close up this den of hateful, dire decau! Decomposition of your witches' plot! You thieve my brains, consider me your toy. My doting Doctor tells me I am not!"

At first Amy wasn't sure if it was working, but the Witches all looked up from the crystal and towards Shakespeare, looks of fear on their faces for the first time.

"Foul Carrionite spectres, cease your show! Between the points..."

Shakespeare paused, and turned to the Doctor or help. The Doctor picked up on this and said, " 7-6-1-3-9-0!"

"7-6-1-3-9-0!" Shakespeare repeated, "And banished like a tinker's cuss, I say to thee..." He stopped, blinking.

He turned to the Doctor, who opened and closed his eyes, not knowing what to say.

Amy ran through her mind, thinking, trying to come up with the right word when another voice entered the fray.

"Expelliarmus!" Martha shouted, looking panicked.

"Expelliarmus!" The Doctor shouted, laughing.

Shakespeare nodded, "Expelliarmus!"

"Good old J.K.!" Th Doctor laughed.

Amy could only watch in shock as it actually worked. The Carrionites started to screams and writhe in pain. The Beautiful woman witch in the middle sneered, "The deep darkness! They are consumed!" And then she started to scream as well.

The glowing mass above them started to twirl until it formed a tornado, pulling and twisting back into the crystal orb. All around the paper scripts of the play started to fly around, getting sucked into the tornado,

"Love labours Won!" The Doctor pointed out, "There it goes."

"Mystery solved." Amy laughed.

Soon the cloud vanished, taking the witches along with the. The crowd below them all started to laugh and cheer, clapping up at the stage. The Doctor looked pleased and took a deep bow.

"They think it was all special effects." Martha gapped.

"Your effect is special indeed." Shakespeare grinned at her, trying one last time.

Martha winced, "It's not your best line."

"I can't believe that worked." Amy shook her head, looking up at the sky, then down to Martha incredulous, "Expelliarmus?"

She blushed, "It was the first thing I thought of!"

"And that's why it worked." The Doctor laughed, "Me and Amy, we were thinking of a word. But you, like Shakespeare, the word just came to you."

Martha shrugged, but looked pleased at the compliment, "Honestly I was just thinking about how...Harry Potter all this was."

"Oh," The Doctor smiled sadly, "Just wait till book seven. I cried."

"Wait till the movie." Amy laughed, "Rory sobbed."

Both her and the Doctor suddenly stiffened, and Amy quickly cleared her throat, looking down at the ground. Martha looked between them curiously, but didn't pry any further.

Amy immediately tried to think of anything else in the world except for Rory. It had been a stupid slip of the tongue, she'd been good for avoiding all thought of him for the last couple weeks.

"i er-" The Doctor pointed to the stands, "I need to get...the thing." And he quickly scurried off.

* * *

**A/N: One more chapter for The Shakespeare code and then we're onto Gridlock in which I mix things up a bit!**

**Once again for everyone who's new to my stories I'd like to say that I will not be doing the 50th special in this story, because for the 10th doctor it takes place between Waters of Mars and The End of Time, which is past where I plan to end my story.**

**Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed my story so far! I love hearing from all you guys! Please feel free to drop by a review with any thoughts, questions or concerns! **

**Until Next Time,**

**-Ash**


	11. Lost Masterpiece

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who**_

* * *

**Chapter 11: Lost Masterpiece**

_"She thought she was the first" - The Dream Lord_

* * *

After everything was said and done they walked back to the Elephant Inn, needing to sleep badly. Amy voted they go back to the TARDIS and sleep there, but the Doctor had argued, saying that this was their last chance to sleep in the same Inn as William Shakespeare.

Amy knew different though. If they went back to the TARDIS he'd have to make a room for Martha, and no matter how temporary, it might cement her place on the TARDIS more than he was comfortable with at the time.

She'd trailed behind them as Martha and the Doctor talked about what had happened excitedly. They walked into the Inn and Amy walked a bit slower, turning to grab the wooden door and shut it behind her.

Only to stop.

The familiar man was standing in the street, looking at her. His eyes were bright and happy and he made a move to walk toward her, but stopped, looking at the frozen look on her face.

"Amy?"

Amy stood still, her knuckles turning white from her grip on the wooden door. She wanted to run. Run and hold him and never let him go. She could finish it now. They'd go home. He'd never go to Canary Wharf...

But she couldn't. It was fixed, a fixed point in time created with the sole purpose of destroying everything that she'd fought for her entire life.

So looking away from Rory she ran into the Elephant Inn and closed the door behind her. She pulled a looped rope which locked the door and she turned, dropping until she was sitting with her back to the door, her knees pressed to her chest.

She didn't know how long she sat there. The light that filtered from underneath the door faded as the sun set, but she stayed there, unable to stop the tears that poured down her face.

Some time later she found herself sitting in the dark. She didn't care, she was just too tired to move.

Down a hall a flickering light caught her attention, but she didn't look over at it, opting instead to look straight ahead, unblinking.

"Amy?"

It was the Doctor. His tan jacket was gone leaving him only in the pinstriped suit. He came over and placed the candle on the ground and sat down beside her.

He didn't say anything for a few moments, just sat beside her, the lights flicking on the walls.

"Are...you okay?" She snorted at that, giving him a disbelieving look. He nodded, wincing. "Okay, that was bad."

"You think?" She asked, her voice hoarse from crying.

"I thought maybe you went to my room." He mumbled, "Martha's drinking with Shakespeare - she looked like she needed it."

"Finally have her freak out?" Amy asked, reminding him of his speech to her two years ago, when he accused her of not freaking out enough.

The Doctor nodded, "Yeah. She'll be alright though. We'll take her home tomorrow, she'll have her exams, become a Doctor, etcetera, etcetera..."

"Unless." Amy looked down, fingering the dirty floor, "We could take her on another trip."

The Doctor looked at her blankly, "Are you sure?"

"It's not really my decision." Amy pointed out, looking back to the wall she'd been staring at for the last few hours, "But she's got a good head. She's smart and quick. Plus...expelliarmus.'

"Expelliarmus." The Doctor repeated, chuckling a bit to himself.

Amy grinned slightly, but it faded quickly as she looked down at the dirt, "I saw Rory."

The Doctor's grin faded and he looked at her with dark eyes, his jaw clenched.

Amy's eyes filled up with tears again, something which surprised her as she could've sworn that she'd run out. Her bottom lip quivered slightly and in that moment she felt like a child again.

"I saw him yesterday and I..." She choked on a sob, "I just ran away, and today I saw him and he saw me and...I ran away from him! Because, how can I look at him? How can I, when I know what's going to happen to him? Because every time I do I want to tell the universe and the laws of time to go screw themselves, because this isn't fair!"

The Doctor wrapped his arm around her, bringing her in close. Amy leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I could take you back, you know." He mumbled into her hair, "Back to your Doctor...back to the future. Without Rory there's no Paradox. Only you together...if it was just one of you..."

Amy thought about that. She hadn't thought about the possibility of going back to the future in years - she had been willing to give it all up for the possibility of being with Rory.

But now he was gone, and she...she wasn't sure what she was doing. Before it had been all about finding Rory, getting back with him and getting to their lives in the 1930s. She'd been prepared for that.

But now...what the hell could she do? She couldn't stay with the Doctor forever - eventually she'd catch up with her younger self, and that was more paradoxes than she could handle.

She thought about going back to the future, with her Doctor. Walking around on the glass floor, arguing over the usefulness of bunk beds, Rory helping the Doctor-

No...Rory wouldn't be there. It would just be her, and her Raggedy Man. Like it had been all those years ago.

The thought made her sick to her stomach.

"No." She shook her head, trying to calm herself down, "I don't know what I'm doing, but...I said my goodbyes. If I went back now..." If she went back she'd only be cursing the Doctor to watch her grow old and die alone. She couldn't put him through that.

The Doctor nodded, "Well, you can stay as long as you want."

She smiled softly, "I know."

* * *

The Next day they found themselves back at the Globe Theatre. The Doctor had said he wanted to double check the resonance of the...something something. Honestly Amy hadn't been paying much attention.

Either Rory was avoiding her, or he was gone. Either way she felt a small stab of relief, and then another stab of guilt at being so relieved.

Amy pushed her hair away from her face, tying t up in a sort of half bun. Her eyes were blood shot, and anyone could tell she'd been crying the night before. But if Martha noticed she was to polite to say anything.

Instead, the young doctor was sitting beside Shakespeare as the man tried to get her to

laugh.

"-And I say." Shakespeare grinned, "A heart for a hart, and a dear for a deer!"

Amy furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, and she wasn't the only one. Martha blinked at him, "I don't get it."

"Then give me a joke from Freedonia."

"Okay." Martha smirked, "Shakespeare walks into a pub and the landlord says 'Oi, mate, you're bard!'."

Amy let out a small chortle at that, and Shakespeare chuckled, shaking his head, "It's brilliant! Doesn't make sense, mind you, but never mind that." He leaned toward Martha, moving his hand to her waits, "Come here."

Martha backed away, but she looked pleased, "I've only just met you."

"The Doctor may never kiss you." Shakespeare shrugged, "Why not entertain a man who will."

Martha fidgeted slightly, her eyes wandering over to Amy who pursed her lips in obvious disapprovement, "I don't...it's not like that." She tried to defend herself, not knowing who she was defending herself too.

"Oh?" Shakespeare raised an eyebrow, "Then why not prove it."

"I don't know how to tell you this, of great genius...but your breath doesn't half stink."

The sound of footsteps against the wooden floorboards brought their attention to the Doctor, who was walking towards them wearing a ruff collar around his neck and holding an animal skull.

"Good props store back there." The Doctor grinned, "I'm not sure about this thought.." He held it up to show Amy, "Reminds me of a Sycorax."

He tossed the skull to Amy who caught it, looking at the animal skull before placing it on the ground, "Kind of yeah."

"Sycorax." Shakespeare nodded, "Nice word. I'll have that off you as well."

The Doctor snorted, "I should be on 10%. How's your head?"

"Still aching."

"Here." The Doctor pulled off the ruffle and handed it to Shakespeare, who eye'd it dubiously, "I got you this. Neck Brace. Wear that for a few days till it'd better. Although...you might wanna keep it. It suits you."

"Unbelievable." Amy grumbled under her breath and he sent her a cheeky wink.

Martha frowned, "What about the play?"

"Gone." The Doctor assured her, "I looked all over - every single cop of 'Love's Labours' won' went up in the sky."

"My lost masterpiece.." Shakespeare mourned.

Amy patted his shoulder, "It's probably for the best. Imagine...magic portals opening up in every classroom." She shuddered dramatically.

"Well." The Doctor drawled, "Only if that classroom had fourteen sides..and-"

"Doctor." She stopped him with her hand, "I was being facetious."

"Oh...right." He nodded, grinning.

"It matters not." Shakespeare grinned, "I've got new ideas. Perhaps it's time I wrote about fathers and sons. In memory of my boy - my precious Hamnet."

Amy blinked at him, "Hamnet?"

"That's him." Shakespeare nodded.

Martha gapped, "Ham...Net?"

"What's wrong with that?" Shakespeare asked her, looking a little defensive. Martha shook her head, blinking rapidly.

The Doctor looked at them, amused and nodded, "Anyway, time we were off. I've got a nice attic in the TARDIS where this lot." He pulled out the crystal ball which held three screaming witches inside, "Can scream for all eternity and I've gotta take Martha back to Freedonia."

Amy sent him a look, but he avoided looking at her.

Shakespeare just grinned, "You mean travel on through time and space."

"You what?" The Doctor gapped, looking stunned.

Shakespeare looked pleased that he'd finally gotten the better of the man in front of him, "You're from another world like the Carrionites, and Martha and Amy are from the future. It's not hard to work out."

"You'd be surprised." Amy said, wondering _how _he had worked it out.

"That...incredible." The Doctor gushed, looking star struck, "You are incredible."

"We're alike in many ways, Doctor." Shakespeare tilted in head, before turning to Martha, "Martha, let me say goodbye to you in a new verse. A sonnet for my Dark Lady. Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"

Both of the Doctor's eyebrows shot straight up and he mouthed 'oh, wow', looking away. Amy put her hand to her mouth, trying not to laugh at the stunned look on Martha's face as she recognized the words.

"Thou art more lovely and more temperate-"

"Will!" Another voice interrupted him, "Will! You'll never believe it! She's here! She's turned up!"

They turned to see that two men, actors, had stormed into the globe theatre looking positively ecstatic.

"Who's turned up?" Amy asked, frowning.

The Second man grinned, "We're the talk of the town. She heard about last night! She wants us to perform it again.

"Well, good luck with that." Amy snorted.

"Who?" Martha asked.

The second man grinned, "Her Majesty! She's here."

The sounds of trumpets echoed around them and the door opened, letting a very pale women with bright head hair enter the room. Amy gapped as she recognized the face.

"Queen Elizabeth I!" The Doctor cheered, looking thrilled.

The Queen, however, bristled, "Doctor!"

"Oh no..." Amy's grin dropped.

"What?" The Doctor looked confused.

"My sworn enemy!"

"What?"

"Off with his head!"

The Doctor gapped, "What?"

"Never mind 'what'!" Martha snapped them out of it, "Just run! See you, Will! And thanks!"

"Bye Will!" Amy called, as she chased after the Doctor, laughing madly.

"Stop that pernicious Doctor!" The Queen shouted after them.

They ran through the streets, passing by common folk who had stopped to see what all the commotion was about. Behind them the soldiers were still running after them. Luckily the people separating them meant they could get a clean shot at them.

"What have you done to upset her?!" Martha shouted at the Doctor.

"How should I know?" The Doctor yelled back. "Haven't even met her yet. That's time travel for you! Still, can't wait to find out!"

Amy remembered a conversation from ten years ago that sent her in laugher, "Oh I think I know what happened."

"No spoilers!" The Doctor grinned, quickly unlocking the TARDIS, "It's something to look forward to. Oh!"

They all climbed inside the box, a second before an arrow slammed into the outside of the box.

* * *

They floated in space for a little bit after that, all laughing and hanging off the banisters as they recounted what had just happened.

"You should've seen your face!" Martha gasped out. The Doctor chuckled, making a few more adjustments until he collapsed in the pilot's chair.

Amy ran over to the door and opened it, letting out a low whistle.

"Oh, my god..." Martha gapped, as she saw the expanse of space in front of her, "Are we..."

"Yep." The Doctor nodded, coming over before his gaze caught something else, "Hey!" He growled, "Who shot my TARDIS!"

"I'd assume one of the guards." Amy laughed, grabbing the arrow shaft and yanking it out of the door, studying the tip, "That would've hurt."

The Doctor chuckled, taking the arrow and tossing it through his hands.

"Alright." He nodded, looking over to the console, "Next stop - London."

Martha blinked, looking out into the expanse in front of her, "Can I..." She faltered, blinking and turning to the Doctor, "Can I just...sit here for a bit…before I go back."

The Doctor looked at her blankly, his eyes a hundred miles away. Finally he nodded, and Amy and the Doctor left her there, watching the stars.

* * *

"Is this going to become a habit?" Amy yelled over the sound of the shower. She'd only been in there about ten minutes when she'd heard the door open and close.

"Well..." The Doctor frowned on the other side of the shower curtain, "I didn't want to wait in the control with Martha being all…mopey."

"She's not being 'Mopey', Doctor." Amy snorted, working the strange alien shampoo into her hair, "She's trying to commit it to memory. Before you drop her off forever."

"You make it sound like I'm...abandoning her or something." He grumbled, "I promised one trip, alright? Only one."

"I know you did."

"And we did that. One trip."

"Yes, we did."

He paused for a moment and Amy took it as an opportunity to rinse out her hair.

"I don't know if I can keep doing this Amy..."

Amy paused, running her hands through her hair a few times, yanking out any knots, "Doing what?"

"Taking people with me." He sounded so very tired, "I mean...humans are so, special. And I just want to take you out into the universe, show you thing you would never see in a million years..."

"Show off." Amy corrected, with a small smile of her own.

"Alright, fine. Maybe a little." He snorted, "But I'll deny ever saying it!"

They both chuckled for a moment before finally the Doctors voice quieted down.

"But it doesn't turn out that way does it." He mumbled, "I...I just wanted her to be safe. But I ended up doing the very thing I promised I wouldn't."

He leaned forward and pressed his face into his hands.

"I left her behind."

Amy looked down at the ceramic floor of the bathtub. The last thing she wanted to think about right now was Canary Wharf, but the Doctor sounded like he was about to fall apart.

"it's not your fault." She said, like she'd probably told him a hundred time over the years that she knew him. He always put so much on his shoulders, even that which wasn't his to bear, "You left her, but she came back. Because that's Rose...she always comes back. Her getting trapped...that wasn't her fault, it wasn't your fault. It wasn't anybodies. It was a cruel rick of fate."

"I promised her." He continued, like he hated heard a word he's said, "I let her down...I let you down."

"No you didn't." Amy said quickly.

"Yes I did." He shook his head and Amy was glad she couldn't see the expression on his face, "I promised I'd get you home, that I'd get you back with Rory, and I failed."

Amy sighed and turned the water to the shower off, "Turn around."

"What?"

"Turn around," She repeated, "I'm getting out."

She peeked her head out to make sure that he's done as he was supposed to before she grabbed her towel and dried herself, wrapping it around herself and stepping out into the bathroom, not caring about the water that dripped to the floor. She grabbed a hairbrush out of the drawer. The TARDIS always made sure that whatever she wanted was in the drawers. A hairbrush, a blow dryer, face wash, anything.

She started to brush out her hair as she spoke, "I know...I know I sort of, freaked out back at Canary wharf. But, I'm not..I'm not mad at _you."_

"You're mad at him."The Doctor finished, his voice low.

Amy clenched her jaw, lowering the brush, "Yes I am. But you're not him."

"I really am."

"No you're not." Amy shook her head, "You're not." She grabbed her hair and started to braid it loosely down one side of her neck, "In the future...for some reason you decided not to warn me. Not to tell me about Rose...or Rory..."

"I know.." The Doctor mumbled, finally turning around to look at her as she braided her hair, "And I am sorry."

"You haven't done it yet." Amy mumbled, turning to him, "Hold this for me." She held out her wet braid.

He took it, his eyebrows furrowed. "Why?"

Amy opened the drawer and dug around until she found what she was looking for. And in one swift movement she brought up the scissor and cut off her braid.

Her hair fell down to her neck, barely brushing against her shoulders from where she had cut it. It would be shorter once it dried.

The Doctor blinked at the braid that he still held in his hands, looking between it and Amy, "Feel better?"

Amy let out a breath of air, "Loads, Because…." she turned to the mirror. The cut was uneven, the right side longer than the left, but she didn't care - she'd make it work, "For the past few years I've felt like my entire life has been controlled by some outside force, and i'm sick of it."

"So you...chopped off your hair?" The Doctor placed the braid on the counter delicately, like she's chopped off a limb.

"Yes." Amy nodded. "Because...because I _could_, you know. I think I need to remind myself now and then that not everything is being control by time or…or fate. I'm not helpless. I'm not powerless, and I refuse to lay down and take this anymore."

The darkness in the Doctor's eyes brightened like a tab, and his lip turned upwards in a half-smile as he looked down at the woman in front of him.

"Now here's what I'm gonna do," She paused, turning to the Doctor, "What _we're _gonna do. We're not going to stop. We're not going to let this break us. Because that's not what they would've wanted. You're not gonna stop because Rose wouldn't _want _you to stop. And as for me..."

She turned to the mirror.

"I'm gonna wait." She locked eyes with the Doctor through the mirror, "Because that's all I can do. Because if there is anyone who could breach the walls of reality itself to find a way back to me it's Rory William's. He waited two thousand years for him, and I'm gonna wait the rest of my life for him."

She turned to the Doctor, smiling at him sadly.

"And I'll tell you what. I'm not going to loose hope. I'm not going to give up. The next time I see him, I'm not going to run. I'm going to stand my ground and I'm going to pretend that everything is okay." Her voice broke a little bit as she blinked away the last of her tears, "Because that's what he always did for me."

* * *

Rory sighed as he walked around Elizabethan London, waiting for the gold dust of time to sweep him up and take him away.

He heard a familiar sound. A sort of fizzing popping, like electricity.

He froze, slinking into a crowd of people, trying to keep his head down. He could only think of two people who it could be.

He quickly moved down a thin alleyway, moving somewhere private.

"You know!" A familiar voice called down the alleyway, "You're a bigger pain to hunt down than your wife."

Rory winced, "Carrick."

"Ah, good." Rory turned to see the man step into the alley, looking calm, "We've met. Time Travel's a bitch."

"Agreed." Rory said, looking around. There was only one way he could run, but knowing Carrick it was booby-trapped to hell and back, "It's good to see you again."

"Good?" Carrick chuckled, walking forward down the alleyway. Roy could see the gun in his holster, but he knew he wouldn't use it. He never did.

"Yeah…" Rory nodded his head firmly, "_Good_."

Carrick wet his lips, which still had a playful smirk on them. "So here's the deal Mr. William's."

"I know, I know." Rory nodded, "The Shadow Proclamation wants you to hunt me and Amy down for reasons which I don't think you're quite privy too."

"Very good." Carrick nodded, but there was an annoyed twitch in his face at once again being left out of important information, "So you know how this is going to play out."

"Yes." Rory nodded, "You're going to try and capture me, and I'm going to get away."

"How d'you figure?"

"Well..." Rory frowned, looking around, "Cause you don't capture me here."

"I don't?" Carrick didn't looked angry, just curious.

Rory shook his head, looking at the man in front of him with a sad smile on his face, "No."

"Hmm." Carrick looked pensive, but the smirked, "History can be...altered."

Rory sighed, already feeling the tingling sensation came up his arm, "Not this time Carrick. But there was something I wanted to say...before I go."

"Oh?" Carrick asked with a smirk, "And what's that?"

Rory clenched his jaw, "You don't have to do this. Me, Amy, The Doctor...we can work this out."

"Yeah, nice try." Carrick rolled his eyes, then pulled out his sonic blaster pointing it Rory, "It's so late for that Mr. Williams. I'm gonna need you to come with me."

"Sorry Carrick." Rory winced, "I'll see you soon - or rather...you'll be seeing me soon."

And he vanished in a flash of gold before Carrick could even get a single shot off.

* * *

**A/N: Wat wat wat? So that's the big surprise. It's the shadow proclamation! A lot of people had different guesses, some people thought he worked for the Master, others thought it was Madame Kovarian - but you were all wrong! But what is it for? Now that's a secret. **

**The whole thing with Amy cutting off her hair is kind of related to myself personally, like whenever my life gets really out of control I usually do something drastic with my hair to get a semblance of control back. It was also inspired by Karen Shaving off all her hair cause she's still my hero for that. Amy's new hair in this story, however, is more like the wig she wore at San Diago comic con before she showed she was bald - or maybe Scarlet Johansons hair in The Winter solider. Something like that.**

**I finally finished writing The Evolution of the Daleks two parter, so hopefully I'll get back on the bandwagon for a bit. Whenever I write two-parters I get sucked into those episodes so much that it's kind of a relief when I get to start a new one with different characters.**

**I did have a couple more people talking about where I'm ending the story and why. Now the reason I'm having the story at Journey's End, rather than at End of Time is because for me it would effect the Doctor's character too much. One of the reasons the Doctor took Amy with him in the first place was because he was lonely. I know another reason was because of the cracks, and her life not making sense, but I think that his loneliness from travelling by himself for so long really did give him that boost to bring her along. So I wanted to give him that time alone that, in my opinion, effected his character so much in the series.**

**Well that's all I have to say right now! You have all ben so lovely with the reviews! You guys think I can get up to 200 this chapter? Whoever is my 200th reviewer will get a shout out as usual! So drop a review with any comments, concerns or questions!**

**Until Next Time,**

**-Ash**


	12. A Kidnapping in Pharmacy Town

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor who**_

* * *

**Chapter 12: A Kidnapping in Pharmacy Town**

_"I'll get her back." - The Doctor_

* * *

The beep of the computer brought him out of his daze.

He blinked a few times, trying to clear his vision. He looked at the table in front of him, where a dozen different images were being projected, hovering over it.

He quickly stood up and walked over, trying to figure out which one had alarmed, telling him in no uncertain terms where he had to go next.

A door opened, momentarily blinding him as light filtered into the dark room. A second later it closed and he saw a woman, stiff in posture, white as snow with deep read eyes watching him as she walked over, her white dress pooling around her feet.

"Which one is it?" She asked tersely.

Carrick moved his hands through the projection until he saw the words that he'd been searching for, "The woman."

This is good, very good. They got hits on the man a dime a dozen. Mr. Williams, whoever he was, seemed to be jumping through time at the speed of sound, with no rhyme or reasons for his journey's. His strange mode of transportation made him easy to track, but he was slippery and hard to pin down to a single location.

Mrs, Williams on the other hands, was proving more difficult. She'd only shown up three times so far, now four, and only once had he been able to pin her down.

And then he'd missed her. Something which the architect was still displeased about.

The albino woman nodded, sneering slightly, 'Where?"

He looked at his reads, "New Earth...5.5/Apple/31." He looked over at her, "If I leave quickly I reach her before she even knew I was there."

"No."

Carrick blinked, looking up at the computer and at the woman standing on the other side of the table. The hologramns cast strange shapes over her face as she stared him town threateningly, "No?"

"In this time period..." The Architect pointed to the numbers and letters floating above the table, "New Earth is under level 7 Quarantine. Nobody goes in...nobody goes out, for 100 years."

"Well obviously someone does," Carrick pointed out, frustration lacing his words. "Because according to her time signature, Amelia Williams is due to arrive there."

"Yes." The Architect nodded, "And we will leave her be this time. Go after the husband, from what I can see you've got several locks on him."

Carrick clenched his jaw, trying to remain respectful to the woman in front of him. Snapping at her would do nothing. Underneath her calm exterior was a very short-tempered woman who wouldn't hesitate to extend his sentence - Amy Williams be damned.

"This is the best opportunity we have." Carrick tried to reason, "With the Quarantine - she might not suspect that we would come after her there-"

"She doesn't suspect us coming after her at all." The Architect snapped, "As far as Mrs. Williams knows someone has a big enough grudge against her to hire a bounty hunter. She has no idea the magnitude."

"Her husband does." Carrick pointed out, "I don't know how - but he seems perfectly aware of who you are and why we're after him."

"It matters not." The Architect hissed, "We uphold the law, as you are well aware Carrick!" He winced at the accusing tone in her voice.

"I know." He said through clenched teeth

The Architect nodded, "Good. I would hate to have to remind you in detail. Now your job is to apprehend Mr. and Mrs. Williams, and then you are free to go home."

And with that she swirled dramatically leaving Carrick alone in the dark room.

"Yeah, home." He grumbled, looking up the newest location of one Rory Williams, his eyes still catching on the holographic planet of New Earth. "What a joke."

* * *

"We're going _where?" _Amy snapped, her eyes wide in both shock and fury.

The Doctor didn't pick up on her anger and simply moved around, "I figure, our last trip didn't exactly going according to plan-"

"None of your trips go according to plan." Amy rolled her eyes, "You think we travel with you for relaxation? If I wanted white sand beaches I'd go to Rio." She crossed her arms in aggravation.

The Doctor continued, pretending he hadn't heard her, "So I figured we'd go to New Earth. Apple Grass, flying cars, cat nuns." He wrinkled his nose as he moved around the console, "Okay maybe not that last one."

"You can't bring Martha to New Earth." Amy said sternly.

The Doctor frowned, "Why not?"

Any rubbed her forehead, "Doctor..."

"What?" He growled, a suddenly burst of anger coming forward, "I'm the pilot, this is _my _TARDIS, if I say we're going to New Earth..." He pushed a lever down violently and the entire room shook, "Then we're going to new Earth."

"Woah!" A new voice entered the room as Martha wandered back into the control room, grabbing the wall to keep from falling over, "Sorry, I got a bit lost."

"That's the TARDIS, sorry." Amy gave her a soft smile, "She likes to play around with the new kids."

Martha blinked, "The...TARDIS. It's alive?"

"In a way." Amy nodded as the Doctor continued to fiddle with the controls, "Honestly, it's all a bit confusing. The Doctor would say it's 'Beyond our primitive human brains'."

"Well it is." The Doctor confirmed, and Amy nodded her head, giving Martha a look of 'I told you so'. "But enough about that, I was thinking. I said 'Just one trip', right? One trip in the TARDIS then home. But..." He drawled off, looking over to Amy, "Amy here has help me to...stretch the definition. Try, one trip to the past, one trip to the future. How do you fancy that?"

Martha's face brightened, "No complaints from me!"

The Doctor grinned, then looked over at Amy, his smile dropping, "What about you?"

She gave him a forced smile, "Brilliant, hows about we go to Space Florida."

"Tedious." The Doctor waved her off, "If you want white sand beaches, just go to Rio."

Amy clenched her jaw, giving him an unimpressed look. Martha looked between them awkwardly, looking like she wanted to ask what was going on, but knowing that it probably wasn't any of her business.

The Doctor turned back to Martha, "How about a different planet?"

Martha perked up, "Can we go to yours?"

Amy blinked, noticing how the Doctor looked like he'd been kicked. Then a second later he put on a blank look, turning away from her.

"Ahhh, there's plenty of other places."

"Come on, though! I mean, Planet of the Time Lords, that's got to be worth a looks! What's it like?"

Amy wanted to give her the subtle look to shut the hell up, but her own curiosity was spiked. All her time she'd been curious about the time lord themselves. What where they like? What kind of clothing did they wear? Did they have religions? Their history, their culture. If any of them were as...strange as the Doctor. But Martha asked about the Planet itself.

"Well, it's beautiful, yeah." The Doctor cleared his throat, and Amy frowned slightly. He used present tense.

"Is it like..." Martha grinned her eyes bright, "You know, outer space cities, all spires and stuff?"

"I suppose it is."

"Great big temples and cathedrals."

The Doctor looked a hundred miles away, "Yeah."

"Lots of Planets in the sky?"

The Doctor's eyes were glazed over, "The Sky's a burnt orange, with the citadel enclosed in a mighty glass dome, shining under the twin suns. Beyond that, the mountains go on forever - slopes of deep red grass, capped with snow."

Martha was looking at him with wide, childlike wonder, "Can we go there?"

"Nahh!" The Doctor waved her off, a huge smile spreading across his face. Only because she'd known him for years did she know it was fake, "Where's the fun for me? I don't want to go home! Instead..."

He started to dance around the console, trying to ignore the disapproving glances that Amy was sending his way.

"This is much better. Year five billion and fifty-three, planet New Earth! Second hope of mankind! Fifty thousand light years away from your old world, and we're slap bang in the middle of New New York. Although, technically it's the fifteenth New York from the original, so it's New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York."

"Seriously?" Amy asked him dryly.

The Doctor stuck his tongue out, grabbing his tan overcoat and throwing it on. Amy follow him over to the floor, grabbing a black windbreaker off the railing as she remembered how windy it had been last time.

"It's one of the most dazzling cities ever built!"

Amy pushed outside and yelped as his rain soaked her to the bone instantly. "What the-"

Martha quickly zipped her jacket, glaring at the Doctor, "Oh, that's nice! Time Lord version of dazzling."

"Nah." Doctor shrugged, looking like the rain wasn't even bothering him. Probably wasn't. Knowing him, the Doctor was probably enjoying the cold air. Amy always told him he didn't need to raise the TARDIS temperature for them - she could wear a sweater, but he insisted. "Bit of rain never hurt anyone. Come on, let's get under cover."

They quickly hurried along what Amy figured was an alley. She wondered if they were in the city right now. The dredges of the city maybe. There was garbage littering the alley, which looked more like modern New York than New New York.

Amy looked up, blinking against the rain as she took in the lines of laundry, "You know Doctor." She called, "It looks a bit different than last time."

He ignored her, moving over to a brick wall of the alley, "Hold on, hold on. Let's have a look."

He pressed his sonic to the wall and a bit descended, illuminating a screen. It went in and out of view a few times and the Doctor banged it a few times until it cleared and a very chipper woman appeared on it.

"Looks like a news channel of some sort." Amy pointed out.

"_-and the driving should be clear and easy, with fifteen extra lanes open for the New New Jersey expressway."_

"They did New Jersey too?" Amy raised her eyebrow, "What the hell for?"

"Rude." The Doctor admonished, before pointed to the familiar image of New New York which appeared on the screen, "Oh, that's more like it! That's the New we had last time. This must be the lower levels. Down in the base of the tower, some sort of under city."

"You brought me to the slums?" Martha asked, trying to sound irritated, but she was still smiling.

"Much more interesting!" The Doctor grinned, looking around, "It's all cocktails and glitter up there. This is the real city!"

Martha looked at him in wonder, "You'd enjoy anything."

"That's me." The Doctor returned her smile, before glancing upwards, "Oh, the rain's stopping! Better and better."

Amy lowered her hood and stepped out of the overpass. She shook out of her, making the short strands stick to her face.

"Ugh, "Amy groaned, pushing her short hair away from her face, "What was I thinking?"

"Something about control in your life?" The Doctor responded as he walked out into the alley. Amy smacked his arm as he passed and he gave her a cheeky grin. She bit her cheek to not grin back, remembering that she was irritated with him at the moment.

Martha was looking between them, "So, when you guys say 'last time', was that…you and Rose?"

And if Amy hadn't remembered why she was mad at the Doctor, she did now. She clenched her jaw and glared at the Doctor, both chastising him and letting Martha know that she was just as unpleased about it as she was.

The Doctor shrugged, looking around, "Um- yeah. Yeah, it was, yeah."

Martha raised both eyebrows, "You're taking me to the same planets you took her?"

"What's wrong with that."

Amy rubbed her face with her hands, shaking her head in disbelief, "You are a piece of work you know that?"

"What?" He looked between Amy and Martha, "What did I do?"

"Nothing." Martha grumbled, "Just - ever heard of the word 'rebound'?"

Amy winced, because as nice as Martha was...that was exactly what she was.

Martha pushed past the Doctor when beside her, the wall spun up, nearly hitting her, as light poured out as a built into the wall vendor station.

All along the street a whole market of stations started to poop up along the walls, and all at once they all started to yell.

"Oh! You should have said. How long you been there? Happy! You want happy!

"Customers! Customer! We've got customers!"

"We're in business! Mother, open up the mellow, and the Read!"

"Happy, Happy, Lovely Happy. Happy!"

"Anger! Buy some Anger!"

"Get some Mellow! Makes you feel all bendy and soft all day long!"

"Younger, them. They'll rip you off. Did you want some Happy?"

The Doctor turned to the nearest Pharmacist, his nose wrinkled up in disgust as well as confusion, "No, thank..."

"Are they selling drugs?" Martha asked.

The Doctor's frown deepened, "I think they're selling moods."

"Same thing." Amy snorted, "Hash get's you mellow, Alcohol can make you all sorts of moods."

Amy jumped as she spotted a few more people walking out from behind her. None of them looked like the people she'd seen last time. The rich and the sick. Instead they looked poor and homeless - matching the area around them.

One of them, a very pale looking woman with tears in her eyes, walked towards the stalls with intent.

"Over here, sweetheart! That's it, come on, I'll get you first!"

"Oi! Oi, you! Over here! Over here! Buy some happy!"

"Come over here, yeah. And what can I get you love."

The woman blinked at him, trying to clear the tears. "I want to buy Forget."

"I've got forget, my darling. What strength? How much you want forgetting?"

"It's my mother and father. They went on the motorway."

Amy looked up at the Doctor, noticing his look at the pale woman. Amy could feel it to. Something was up here.

"Oh, that's so sweet." The Pharmacist said, reaching into her shack ad pulling out a token, "Try this. Forget Forty-Three. That's twopence."

Amy could only watch as the woman paid the woman and turned away, holding the token in her hand like it was made of gold.

The Doctor stopped her from walking away, looking at her with worried eyes, "Sorry, but - hold on a minute. What happened to your parents?"

"They drove off." The pale woman spoke, deep pain in her eyes.

Amy shook her head in confusion, "Well they'll come back, won't they?"

The pale woman turned to her, shaking her head, "Everyone goes to the motorway in the end. I've lost them."

"But they can't have gone far." The Doctor frowned, trying to stop her, "You could find them."

The woman just looked between them, her face still blank of emotion. Finally she took the strange token and stuck it to her neck, closing her eyes.

"No, no - no don't!" the Doctor cried, but it was too late.

The woman opened her eyes, and there was a bit more life in them. Her lips were upturned in the corners and she seemed almost serene.

"What just happened?" Amy gapped.

The woman looked between them politely, "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

"Your parents." The Doctor reminded her, "Your mother and father. they're on the motorway."

"Are they?" The woman looked at him without a care in the world, "That's nice. I'm sorry, I won't keep you."

And with that she just walked away.

One she was out of earshot, Amy turned to the Doctor, "What the hell was that about?"

Martha looked more disturbed, watching the woman with a look of disbelief on her face, "So that's the human race five billion years in the future. Off their heads on chemicals."

"It can't be everyone." Amy shook her head, "I mean...they didn't have this stuff last time we were here...did they?"

The Doctor shook his head in confusion, and was about to answer, when a loud scream distracted them.

"Martha!" Amy cried.

Martha was struggling against a man dressed in dark clothes, pointing a gun at them as he dragged Martha backwards. Immediately Amy ran after her, ignoring the yelling of the Doctor behind her.

"I'm sorry!" The man was yelling, "I'm really, really sorry. We just need three, that's all."

"Like hell!" Amy yelled moving to grab his gun arm. But before she could she felt an arm wrap around her and a gun at her temple.

"Amy!" The Doctor shouted, "No, let them go! I'm warning you, let them go!"

"What do we do with her?" Said the person holding Amy, a woman.

"Take her with us." The man hissed, "Four's as good as three - still get in the fast lane."

"I can help!" The Doctor helped, his voice tinged with desperation. Martha was still fighting against the man who had his gun pointed to the Doctor, but Amy couldn't do anything with the gun to her temple. She was no used to Martha dead. "All of us, we can help!" The Doctor continued, "But first you've got to let them go!"

"I'm sorry!" The woman holding Amy shouted, and they started to drag her and Martha away, "I'm really sorry. Sorry."

They dragged them through a door and down another hallway, and through another door. Obviously they were more worried about losing the Doctor than anything. Martha kept struggling as they pushed out into daylight and out onto a fire escape

"The Doctor is gonna kill you!" She threatened, "And never mind him,_ I'm_ gonna kill you myself! Let go of me!"

"You tell 'em, Martha." Amy grumbled, figuring at this point it was best to just see where they were being taken. The Doctor would find them eventually no doubt, maybe now it was best to not get killed before he got there.

They were dragged to a car, black and metal and rectangular. The man reached into the car, then tossed something to the woman, "Give them some sleep."

"Don't you dare!" Martha screech, trying to pull away, "Don't put that stuff in me! Get off me!"

"It's just sleep fourteen." The woman tried to calm her down.

"No!" Amy fought, "Look, don't put that crap on us!" It had been five billion years. Five billions years of human evolution. There was no guarantee that whatever was in that patch wouldn't kill them.

Amy felt a suddenly burst of panic as she remembered Apalapachia, but she couldn't do anything as the woman stuck a patch onto her neck, making her brain go fuzzy, as she fell into darkness.

* * *

Carrick walked around the tables, waiting for a hint of the husband. He knew he would show up sooner or later, he always did. But all the same he couldn't help it when his black eyes turned around to look at the space on the table where the holographic image of New Earth sat, spinning in orbit, as it would until Amelia's time signature no long appeared.

He gritted his teeth together, slumping down into another chair. He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them the pupil had shrunk until they looked almost like human eyes. He rubbed his forehead, his eyes fixed on the planet.

It was such a wasted opportunity. She was there, unsuspecting. He doubted she'd thought much about him since he tried to capture her on Earth, she would never suspect, until it was too late.

He looked down at the vortex manipular on his left wrist, which as strapped opposite to the metallic bracelet on the other, made from volcanic glass. He clenched his fist shut. So much trouble for one woman - and he still didn't know what the hell it was that she'd done.

He stood up them, turning to computer off and grabbing his coat and sonic blaster. He quickly grabbed his respirator and put it over her mouth, putting black goggles over his eyes. The planet had been quarantined for a reason, and he wasn't going to take any chances.

He took one last took at the door before typing in the necessary coordinates, and vanished in a blast of smoke and electricity.

* * *

**A/N: 200 reviews! How amazing is that? Special thank you to the anon 'mace' for being my 200th reviewer!**

**Some Carrick POV for everyone! You'll be getting a lot more of it for a little bit here. And for everyone who might be hurting their heads trying to figure out where he's from, he is an OC. And I have some plans for him.**

**Omg I have like nothing to say here. Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter! I love you all so much! Pretty please drop a review with any comments concerns or questions. And remember I do have a Doctor Who blog on tumblr (links onmy profile), which just hit 800 followers which is super awesome. **

**Until Next Time,**

**-Ash**


	13. Location, Location, Location

_**Disclaimer: I do not own doctor who**_

* * *

**Chapter 13: Location, Location, Location**

_"Penny in the air..." - Melody Pond_

* * *

The Doctor rushed through the tunnels, trying to catch up with the man and woman who had abducted his companions. He cursed mentally, darting down different tunnels, trying to figure out where they had taken them.

He burst out onto a fire escape just in time to see the woman drag Amy inside a metallic vehicle.

"Amy!" He called, "Martha!"

But it was too late. The second the door to the vehicle shut the car zoomed off and out of sight.

* * *

The Doctor retraced his steps, knowing that the only people nearby were the so-called pharmacists back in the market. He needed to figure out where that car was going.

"Thought you'd come back!" One of them leaned out, looking at the Doctor with a fixed grin, "Do you want some happy Happy?"

The Doctor almost growled as he stormed up to the stall, "Those people - who were they? Where did they take them?!"

Another Pharmacist stuck their head out, "They've taken her to the motorway."

The Doctor got a bad feeling in his gut as he remembered the pale woman, wanting to forget her parents because they'd gone to this motorway

"Looks like carjackers to me." One of them said.

"I'd give up now darling." A third pharmacist said sadly, "You won't see them again."

"Used to be a thriving in this place. You couldn't move. But they all go to the motorway in the end."

The Doctor could barely hear them as his mind started to go blank. He needed to get them back. Martha wasn't even supposed to be here - she was supposed to back home, studying for her finals. And Amy...

The Doctor whirled around to glare at the entire alley at once, "He kept on saying three, we need three, but four would be fine. What did he mean, three?"

"It's the car-sharing policy, to save fuel. You get special access if you're carrying at least three adults."

The Doctor nodded, thankful that they wouldn't kill them at least. But then again...they only needed three. "The motorway - how do I get there?"

"Straight down the alley, keep going to the end. You can't miss it."

The Doctor stormed off in that direction, not willing to waste a single moment. He needed to get them back. He wasn't losing anyone else.

"Tell you what!" The pharmacist called after him, "How 'bout some happy Happy? Then you'll be smiling, my love!"

The Doctor stopped, clenching his jaw as he turned back into the alley, "Word of advice, all of you. Cash up. Close down. And pack your bags."

"Why's that, then?"

The Doctor took a threatening step forward, "Because as soon as I've found them, alive and well - and I will find them_, alive and well _- then I'm coming back. And this street is closing. Tonight!"

* * *

Amy woke up not knowing where she was. Not the normal kind, where two seconds later you realized that you're in your bedroom. No, she legitimately didn't know.

But she could guess.

She looked around. It was small. The back consisted of bunk beds and a small toilet. She twisted her head, blinking and saw two seats and a large window out of which Amy could only see green smoke.

Beside them were the two discarded guns. Amy picked one up and quickly inspected it, pointing it towards the door, taking a shot.

Nothing happened.

She clenched her jaw, placing it back on the table, careful not to alert the drivers that she was awake. Of course they were fake.

She heard a small groan and looked beside her, seeing Martha starting to wake up. Amy reached up to her neck and felt the token, quickly ripping it off. She leaned over and ripped Martha's off as well.

The man and woman were talking at the front, but Amy didn't know or care what it was about. She leaned down to Martha, "You okay?"

Martha's eyes were still a little unfocused, "Think so."

"Martha." Amy said sternly, "This is important. In your medical opinion, do you think you're okay?"

Martha waited a second, taking her own pulse then closed her eyes, taking a few breaths, "From what I can tell, yes."

Amy nodded, letting out a breath. The patch might still kill them, but for now it seemed alright. Hopefully if there was any lasting damage the Doctor would fix it later.

Martha sat up and looked at a small table. She reached over and picked up one of the guns and pointed it towards the front.

"Take us back!" She ordered, "Whoever you are, just take us back to our friend. That's all I want. I won't cause any trouble. Just take me back!"

The man and woman glanced at each other, and Amy didn't like the look on their faces.

Amy took the gun out of Martha's hands, "They're fake. I already checked.

Martha looked put out and the woman in front looked at them apologetically, "What're your names?" She asked.

"Martha. Martha Jones." Martha said immediately.

Amy hesitated, but then answered, "Amy Williams."

The woman smiled, "Well, I'm Cheem, and this is Milo. And I swear we're sorry. We're really, really sorry. We just needed access to the fast lane, but I promise, as soon as we arrive, we'll drop you off and you can go back and find your friend."

Martha seemed suspicious, "Seriously?"

Amy couldn't help but agree with her. There had to be a catch, and a rather serious one. If it was as simple as that they would've just asked. Not taken them at gunpoint.

"I swear!" Cheem nodded, "Look-" She pulled her ratty brown hair to the side to show a patch on the side of her neck. But instead of the words SLEEP written across it, like the one on Amy's neck had, this one said HONESTY. "Honesty Patch."

"All the same." Martha said, "That's still kidnapping! Where are we anyway?"

"I'd guess motorway." Amy frowned, remembering the pale woman, "But..."

"What's with he fog?" Martha finished for her.

Cheem shrugged, "That's the exhaust fumes."

Amy let out a low whistle and with humour remembered an argument with her mother about Rory's car and how bad it was for the environment. If only she'd seen this place.

Her mood dropped then, even further than before. She's almost gone two hours without thinking about Rory. That had to be a record.

"We're going out to Brooklyn." Milo explained, "Everyone says the air's so much cleaner, and we couldn't stay in Pharmacy Town, 'cause..." He leaned over and rubbed Cheem's knee, grinning at her fondly.

"Well, 'cause of me" Cheem practically glowed, "I'm pregnant. We only discovered it last week. Scan says it's going to be a boy."

Amy gave her a soft grin, but it was forced. She tried to stop herself from looking at Cheem's stomach with envy, but instead gave her a congratulating nod.

"Great." Martha raised an eyebrow, "What do I do now, congratulate my kidnappers?"

"Oh, we're not kidnappers. Not really."

"They're just idiots." Amy grumbled, standing up to move to the back of the vehicle, "What makes you think we won't report you once we get off."

Milo and Cheem exchanged looks, then shrugged.

"Carjackers never get arrested." He explained.

Amy frowned, "What do you mean?"

He shook his head, "I dunno. Maybe they never get reported, or maybe the police just don't care. But no one's ever been arrested for it."

Amy frowned, "That's not right." She muttered to herself.

Martha leaned forward and ripped the honesty patch off Cheem's neck, "You shouldn't be wearing this, not when you're pregnant."

Milo looked between them, "This'll be as fast as we can. We'll take the motorway to the Brooklyn flyover and then after that it's gonna take a while, 'cause then there's no fast lane, just ordinary roads, but at least it's direct."

"It's only ten miles." Cheem assured them,

Amy frowned, "You said we were on the motorway now."

"We are." Milo nodded.

Amy walked forward and stuck her head out the window, seeing the car in front of them faintly through the smog, "Then why aren't we moving? Are we parked?"

"No...?" Cheem looked at her, confused.

"Never mind that." Martha waved Amy off and Amy raised her eyebrow at the woman. "How long's this gonna take?"

"About six years."

Both Martha and Amy stopped then, looking at her with wide eyes.

"What?" Martha gapped.

Amy looked between them, "You're joking."

Cheem shook her head, looking rather pleased about this fact, "Be just in time for him to start school."

"Son of a-" Amy trailed off, looking at the two humans with wide eyes.

"Nope, sorry. Hold on." Martha stuttered, "Six _years? _Tin miles in six years? How come?"

"Gridlock." Amy groaned, rubbing her forehead, "That's why we aren't moving."

"What?" Martha gapped at her.

Amy leaned over the new parents and tried to see out the window. Every now and then the fog would dissipate for a moment and she could see line upon line of traffic.

"The whole motorway's in gridlock." She said, straightening, "Hundreds of millions of cars stuck in a never-ending traffic jam."

* * *

Carrick appeared in a burst of electricity and immediately thanked the high gods that he was wearing a respirator.

He appeared to be standing on a platform surrounded with a thick smog. For a second he was worried about the reason the planet was on Quarantined - but he ignored it. The respirator would keep him safe.

A loud noise behind him caught his attention. He turned, his hand slowly moving down to the sonic blaster attached to his thigh. A man was pushing a large metal door open, moving onto the ramp.

He wasn't wearing a mask or respirator of any kind, but that wasn't stopping him. The man wore a long trench coat, definitely not from the year Five billion. He studied the man up and down until a note of panic entered his system. It was the man who Amelia travelled with. The one that the Shadow proclamation refused to give him any information on.

Immediately he closed his eyes and blinked until his pupils shrunk to a normal human sized. He still looked alien - but his eyes were usually the most notable part of his species. This man had never actually seen him before, if he was lucky….

"Oh." The man blinked as he saw him, "Large scary man, hello."

Carrick chuckled and reached up, grabbing his goggles and pulling them open over his head, pulling his hair back against his head, "Not that scary."

"Right." The Doctor coughed a few times, holding a cloth to his mouth, "Sorry, not time to chat-"

"Hey! Ya daft little street struts!"

Both of the men jumped and turned. Parked at the platform was a help of junk that some might call a car. Carrick looked closer and saw a male cat sticking his head out, ushering them in.

"What are you doing, standing there? Either get out or get in! Come on!"

The Doctor jumped through the door and against his better judgement Carrick jumped in after him. So far that man hadn't recognized him - so he could assume that Amelia gave a rather poor description.

"Did you ever see the likes." The cat spoke to them, whiskers bristling as a human woman handed the spiky haired man a breathing mask, "Just standing there, breathing it in! And don't think that thing will help you." The cat turned to Carrick and pointed to his respirator, "It's thick, get's into to skin, the ears, ever orifice." He cat pulled out of goggles and scarf, "There's this story says back in the old days, on Junction Forty-Seven, this woman stood in the exhaust fumes for a solid twenty minutes. By the time they found her, her head had swollen to fifty feet!"

"Oh, you're making it up." The human woman rolled her eyes.

The cat moved to the driving seat of the car, "A fifty-foot head! Just think of it! Imagine picking that nose."

"Stop it. That's disgusting."

Carrick made observations as he went - something he'd been trained to do. He couldn't get by in his line of work without extremely keen observation skills.

By the way the two were bickering, playfully, he's assume they were related - either siblings or marriage. Different species, so Marriage it was. The car is larger than your average hovercraft - two beds, a toilet and a waste recycling processor. They probably lived in here. Homeless probably?

He'd also noticed enough to note that the spiky haired companion of Amelia had made the exact same observations.

"Bran, we're moving!" The woman suddenly gasped.

"Right, I'm here. I'm on it."

The cat, Bran, pulled a lever on the console and the entire car jolted. Carrick quickly sat down beside the Doctor before he could fall on the floor. The Car started to move forward and the sounds of honking horns could be heard from all around them.

Then Bran pulled the lever back, and the car stopped.

"Twenty yards!" The cat cheered, "We're having a good day."

The Doctor pulled off his Oxygen mask, looking a bit better. Carrick pulled his mask down so that it hung around his neck.

"And who might you two gentlemen be?" Bran asked, turning around to face them, "Both of yah very well-dressed to be hitchhikers."

"Thanks. Sorry, I'm the Doctor." The spiky haired man spoke. Carrick furrowed his eyebrows, wondering if that was some sort of code name.

"Medical man! Ha-ha!" Bran cheered, then turned to Carrick.

Carrick grinned at him politely, "Harland."

"You're not human, are yeah?" The human woman asked, looking politely curious, pointing to his zygomatic arches, which protruded much further than a humans. It was only further emphasized by his hollow cheeks."Not with that bones structure."

"No." Carrick shook his head with a soft smile, but not elaborating.

"Ah well." Bran chuckled, "My name's Thomas Kincade Brannigan, and this is the bane of my life, the lovely Valerie."

"Nice to met you." Valerie smiled at them.

Brannigan gestured to the beds in the back of the cab, "And that's the rest of the family behind you."

The Doctor turned and pulled the curtain back to show a small basket of kittens with different coloured ribbons around each neck. The Doctor smiled and gently picked one up, but Carrick just stood back, arms crossed.

"Not a cat person, are you Harland?" Brannigan asked, chuckling to himself.

Carrick just stared at him, and spoke dryly "Allergies."

Brannigan laughed, throwing his head back, "Ah, well can't fight mother nature can we."

"How old are they?" The Doctor asked as a small grey cat walked around the back of his shoulders.

"Just two month." Valerie said with a fond smile.

"Poor little souls. They've never known the ground beneath their paws." The Doctor sent Brannigan a confused look and the cat nodded, "Children of the motorway."

Carrick frowned, "They were born on the motorway?"

"We couldn't stop." Valerie explained, but the look on her face told Carrick that this was a normal thing. He wrinkled his nose, looking around and noting how unsanitary the whole pace was. He didn't have to be a doctor to know it wasn't a god place to have children, "We heard there were jobs going, out in the laundries on Fire we'd take a chance."

"What?" The Doctor gapped, "You've been driving for Two months."

"Do I look like a teenager?" Brannigan snorted, "We've been driving for twelves years now."

Carrick could feel the shock jump up through him. He'd been to New Earth two dozen times, and there wasn't anywhere you couldn't get to in two days tops in the motorways. But twelve years?

He saw his eyes go out the window and he noticed with a sinking feeling that they hadn't moved an inch since before.

But no matter what conclusions his brain came too, his face was simple, like this was common knowledge to him. The last thing he wanted was for the Doctor to figure out he was from another time and place - the planet was under quarantine. Questions would be asked.

"I'm sorry?" The Doctor asked, having no troubles betraying the confusion and horror that was building behind his eyes.

"Yeah!" Brannigan chuckled, "Started out as newlyweds! Feels like yesterday."

"Feels like twelve years to me."

"Ahh, sweetheart, but you're still lovely." He started to tick his wife, who giggled and pulled away.

"So where did you travel from?" Carrick asked, his arms crossed as he leaned against the hull of the car, "That it took twelve years?"

Brannigan paused like he couldn't remember, then nodded, "Battery Park. Five miles back."

Carrick had to blink at that. He's assumed New New Delhi, or perhaps New Hong Kong. But they had come from within New New York.

What the hell was going on with this planet?

"You travelled five miles in twelve years?" The Doctor raised both his eyebrows.

Brannigan turned to his wife, "I think he's a bit slow."

Valerie frowned, "Where are you from?"

Carrick perked his ears up, hoping to get a hint of where this mysterious Doctor was from as well.

But the Doctor quickly dismissed that, "Never mind that, I've got to get out. My friend's in one of these cars. She was taken hostage."

Carrick cursed mentally. Amelia had warned that she could be difficult, but this was a whole new level.

The best thing he could do was somehow rescue her, only to kidnap her once again.

She was gonna be pissed, and when they were pissed, they were harder to deal with.

"I should get back to the TARDIS." The Doctor muttered, then ran over the door and yanked it open. Carrick mentally remembered the word 'TARDIS', swearing that he'd heard it before, but the pressing concern was what he saw outside the door.

Nothing but smoke and gas. There was no ground, just air that lead down to another layer of cars. The Doctor leaned his head out then came back, looking a bit ill.

"You're too late for that." Brannigan informed them sadly, "We've passed the lay-by." The Doctor coughed and quickly closed the door, "You're passengers now boys."

The Doctor turned to them urgently, "When's the next lay-by?"

Brannigan paused, thinking them let out a breathe, "Oh...six months?"

Carrick sucked in a breathe, all his horror now on full display.

The Architect was going to kill him.

* * *

**A/N: Here's another chapter! Thank you so much to everyone who's reviewed, you guys are fantastic.**

**A couple people seemed to be asking about the Architect, but I'd like to confirm that she is the same Architect from The Stolen Earth. Without giving any spoilers people were asking about something from the new episode, and i just want to say that no, it has nothing to do with that.**

**Please feel free to leave me reviews with any comments, concerns, or questions! I love hearing from you guys!**

**Until Next Time,**

**-Ash**


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